In the book, Chomsky explores the idea that the US is the only remaining world superpower that works to maintain its dominance, even ruthlessly employing violence such as outright invasions and overthrowing governments pursuing independent economic policies. He also discusses the large difference between public opinion on the Cold War, establishment American educated opinion and reality.
The book also contains criticism aimed at the Soviet Union and other communist states, but its major point centres on the fact that although the United States claimed to support freedom in the Cold War, it still supported authoritarian regimes. The conclusion that Chomsky comes to is that, despite U.S claims of supporting freedom, their actual aim was maintaining dominance over resources and geopolitical power.
