The Hazards of Concentrated Power

George McLeod speaks with Noam Chomsky, the world's leading intellectual of the 20th century, about regional and global issues and the rise of China. The following are excerpts from that interview. 

Noam Chomsky: In principle, the answer is yes. Almost anything is possible, but the burden of proof for using force to overthrow a government is very high. They [coup leaders] have to demonstrate conclusively strong arguments that the use of force is legitimate.

For example, there is plenty of corruption in Washington—there is favoritism and headlines [about corruption] one day after another, but that doesn't justify a military coup.

In the case of Thailand—and let me say that I do not have a detailed, specialized knowledge of it—I did not think that the burden of proof was met.

My expectation was that the outcome of the military coup would be a system that was worse than the one it overthrew, except for small sectors of the population that were privileged and wealthy and may benefit from it.

McLeod: The US has imposed trade sanctions on the Burmese junta. Given the brutality of the Burmese regime, do you think that this is an example of the US taking a positive stance in the region?

Chomsky: The US can have and occasionally does have benign influences on many things. Now, exactly how to deal with the Burmese junta is a question that has to be raised.

Burma has a rotten, horrible government and surely, someone should try to help the Burmese people to free themselves from it, but the question of exactly how to do it is not simple.

Sanctions often backfire—you really have to think of the right means of doing it. Sometimes, engagement is more effective. You really have to think this through. You cannot just have formulas.

McLeod: Turning to China, you mentioned that China is becoming a major competitor to US power in Asia, and even that the US is "frightened by China." How does China pose a threat to US interests in Asia?

Chomsky: China does not pose a military threat. In fact, of all the major powers, China has probably been the most restrained in building up its military forces. China poses a very serious threat to US power because it cannot be intimidated by the US.

Take, for example, Iran and Iraq. The US wants the world to boycott Iran in pursuit of US policies. Europe sort of shakes its fist, but then Europe pretty much backs off. So, when the US warns countries not to invest in Iran, European investors—banks and so on—tend to pull out.

China, on the other hand, doesn't pay attention. They just go ahead and do what they want to do. The idea that there is a potentially powerful state that cannot easily be intimidated is very threatening to people who want to rule the world.

(The US) is a little bit like the mafia. The Godfather does not tolerate disobedience, even in a small storekeeper, let alone somebody that matters. So, that's a threat.

However, the US-China relationship is also very ambivalent. On one hand, from the point of view of state power, China is threatening because it follows its own course. On the other, powerful US business interests are highly influential in determining state policy. These businesses have a real stake in China—it is a wonderful platform for cheap exports and a potential market. They want relations with China to be strong, so there is an internal conflict in the US.

Remember that China has enormous financial reserves that surpass Japan. It is keeping the US economy afloat. So, it's a pretty tricky, complex relationship.

McLeod: Does Asia have much to worry about from China's rising power and influence?

Chomsky: Any time a big power is developing, everybody has to worry, including the Chinese people. Concentrations of power are dangerous. There is plenty of history about that.

How much does it have to worry? Well, that depends on how things develop. So, closer relations between India and China, which are now developing, could be beneficial to Asia. It's much better than having them muscle their neighbors.

George McLeod is a freelance journalist based in Bangkok.