Media Control: The Spectacular Achievements of Propaganda

While some might be tempted to write off this little volume by Chomsky as just another political screed, it rewards the reader with a quick and dirty understanding of why propaganda is necessary for the leaders of a democracy, as well as how it works. However, I was a bit disappointed that a book which purports to expose the methods of propaganda was in itself a handy little propaganda piece. I wish Chomsky had devoted a bit more time to exposing how -both- the Democrats and the Republicans used propaganda, instead of yammering on and on only about how the Republicans used it. It's understandable, however, given Chomsky's liberal sympathies. Other than Woodrow Wilson (arguably the worst president we've ever had and difficult to ignore when discussing propaganda) and a brief mention towards the end of the book, the Democrats get pretty much a free pass on this one. If you're looking for a quick introduction to the subject this book is pretty good, but there are others out there that are make better use of evidence, are more comprehensive, and are less potentially inflammatory.