Sunday, September 29, 2019

Conspiracy and Class Power

Part 1: New World Notes #603, 29:36 (September 24)
Broadcast quality MP3 (41 MB)
Decent quality MP3 (14 MB)

Part 2: New World Notes #604, 28:30 (December 1)
Broadcast quality MP3 (39 MB)
Decent quality MP3 (13 MB)

Occupy Zurich, 2011
"Apres moi, le deluge."

Another installment in our series of classic talks by political scientist Michael Parenti.  Parenti gave this talk (to a very enthusistic audience) in Berkeley, Califormia, in 1993.

Long before 9/11, Americans were trained to dismiss any claim of concerted wrongdoing among the elites as a crackpot "conspiracy theory." Parenti argues that conspiracies are real and common--just one tool among many that the wealthy and powerful use to advance their own personal and class interests.

He discusses several examples of claims first dismissed as "conspiracy theories" and now accepted as historical fact--for instance the Gulf of Tonkin fabrication and the FBI infiltration of civil-rights and antiwar organizations.

Plus one that was news to me: the likely assassination by poisoning of President Zachary Taylor.

Parenti's trademark wit, humor, and incisive analysis are much in evidence in this classic--and still extremely relevant--lecture.

Many thanks to Maria Gilardin and TUC Radio for making this archival recording available.

Previously broadcast on NWN. Files downloaded from the links, above, are identified as installments #351 and 352.





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