Requiem for the American Dream

Requiem for the American Dream is the result of four years’ worth of interviews with political activist and linguist Noam Chomsky. Considered by many to be one of the most important intellectuals alive, he discusses how wealth and power in America have gradually accumulated in the hands of a small elite.

Chomsky offers suggestions for reversing this trend, ranging from public protest and social pressure to electing politicians dedicated to improving the lives of the wider public. He focuses in particular on the plight of the American middle class, which has shrunk substantially over the past 40 years. He attributes this decline to a number of factors, including globalisation, corporate greed, and an American culture that appears to value success over morality or personal fulfilment.