Profit Over People: Neoliberalism and Global Order

In this collection of essays, Noam Chomsky examines the rise of neoliberal policies and their impact on international democratic structures. He argues that the Washington Consensus—a set of market-oriented prescriptions promoted by the IMF and World Bank—prioritizes corporate expansion and private profit at the expense of public welfare. Chomsky details how trade agreements like NAFTA and the operations of the World Trade Organization function to insulate economic decision-making from voter influence. He analyzes the historical shift toward deregulation and privatization, arguing these mechanisms transfer power from sovereign states to unaccountable private tyrannies.

This book is intended for students of political science and critics of corporate globalization who seek to understand the mechanics of state capitalism. Readers gain a technical perspective on how institutional power functions and how economic propaganda shapes public perception. It provides a framework for analyzing the discrepancy between democratic rhetoric and the actual policy objectives of global financial elites. Those who finish the text walk away with a clear understanding of the systemic barriers to social equity in a market-driven global order.

Outward-looking and clear-cut; a moderate read.

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