Author Noam Chomsky has claimed the United States Republican Party is “the most dangerous organisation in human history”, arguing it is supported by voters because “white supremacy is very deeply rooted in the United States”.
Mr. Chomsky – a world-famous and influential linguist, philosopher, and anarchist – is known for his attacks on capitalism, ‘American imperialism’, and the Vietnam War.
Hosted by the BBC, the academic and author was invited to argue that President Donald Trump’s administration is more of a threat to humanity than Islamic State and North Korea on prime time UK television.
“Is [Islamic State] dedicated to destroying the prospects for organised human existence?” he asked, defending claims in his book that the Republicans are “the most dangerous organisation on earth”.
The U.S. under the Republicans “is not only… not doing anything about climate change, but we’re trying to accelerate the race to the precipice”, he added.
“Trump’s only ideology is ‘me’, its not Hitler or Mussolini, but deeply authoritarian and very dangerous,” Mr. Chomsky concluded later, after claiming the U.S.’s attitude to climate change was unique, and uniquely dangerous.
Explaining the popularity of Mr. Trump amongst American voters, the academic said: “The Democrats gave up on the working class 40 years ago. The working class is just not their constituency.
“The Republicans claim to be but they’re basically their class enemy. However, they can appeal to people on the basis of non-economic claims about religion, white supremacy… identity politics.
“White supremacy is very deeply rooted in the United States… it ranks higher than even South Africa. There’s no doubt there was a racist motivation behind [Mr. Trump’s victory].”
Mr. Chomsky’s assertions come after a long and controversial career, in which he has allegedly defended Cambodia’s Communist Khmer Rouge regime and been accused of denying the Cambodian genocide.
The political change seen in the U.S. is happening globally, Mr. Chomsky also argued in the BBC interview, due to “a massive assault on the large part of the population, an assault on democracy” which led to “not just anger, but contempt for centrist institutions”.
“A large part of the population feels that they are just not responsive to them,” the results of this being the Brexit vote and rise of Marine Le Pen, he said.
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