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27th out of 47 books
—
25 voters
Dismantling the Empire: America's Last Best Hope
The author of the bestselling Blowback Trilogy reflects on America's waning power in a masterful collection of essays
In his prophetic book Blowback, published before 9/11, Chalmers Johnson warned that our secret operations in Iraq and elsewhere around the globe would exact a price at home. Now, in a brilliant series of essays written over the last three years, Johnson mea...more
In his prophetic book Blowback, published before 9/11, Chalmers Johnson warned that our secret operations in Iraq and elsewhere around the globe would exact a price at home. Now, in a brilliant series of essays written over the last three years, Johnson mea...more
Hardcover, 224 pages
Published
August 17th 2010
by Metropolitan Books
(first published August 1st 2010)
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The low rating is not because I disagree with what Johnson is saying. On the contrary, I admit that I picked up this book so that it can reconfirm my own standing on the issue, that is, we need to roll back the empire before it brings about our demise. No orchestrating military coups, no manipulating foreign governments, no wars, no regime changes, no military bases anywhere in the world, no military interventions even for humanitarian reasons, no taking side in other countries’ conflicts, no pu...more
This is my first Chalmers Johnson book. While I thoroughly enjoyed and would award 5 stars for his cogent, well supported arguments and observations, I did not enjoy the format.
Johnson deconstructs our military bureaucracy to reveal self defeating imperialism, profiteering, and profligate spending, among other trends he identifies as threatening to the well being of the US. He argues eloquently that no country in history has been able to remain democratic and economically provide for its civil...more
Johnson deconstructs our military bureaucracy to reveal self defeating imperialism, profiteering, and profligate spending, among other trends he identifies as threatening to the well being of the US. He argues eloquently that no country in history has been able to remain democratic and economically provide for its civil...more
In order to understand where we are now in the scheme of the international community, we must read the books of Chalmers Johnson. Dr. Johnson is remarkable as a raconteur of the miserable state of affairs the USA has bungled into by way of deceit, media manipulation so citizens build no context out of which to judge the current events, and in the fog of confusion and lack of truthful information permit our taxes to fund cruel interventions and takeovers of foreign nations by force in order to us...more
This was very good – I was expecting it to be pretty much a repeat of everything said in his Blowback series (and, to be honest, there was some of that) but there was also enough new and interesting material to keep me reading. The part I enjoyed the most was the reference to Legacy of Ashes (a book I’ve now started reading, even though I don’t really have time and already think is a must read, absolutely amazing).
His argument is that the US has basically two options on its road forward: one is...more
His argument is that the US has basically two options on its road forward: one is...more
This is Chalmers Johnson's final book and it is a concise analysis at the out of control military spending and the ridiculous number of US military bases, and how this is hurting the American economy. It debunks the myth of military Keynesian which states that military spending stimulates the economy. All of this spending is inflationary and results in no exports or imports of goods. In other words, there is nobody to sell all of this useless military equipment to. It's really amazing to think t...more
A frightening look at America's "base imperialism." I hadn't realized how omnipresent our military bases are. Johnson claims that the D.O.D. defense budget for 2008 was larger than that for ALL other countries combined. A lot of that, of course, would be spent in support of those bases. I do try to be skeptical of such large claims no matter the politics of the person making them so I would have to do some research before I would state that as a fact.
The book, like many such collections of essa...more
The book, like many such collections of essa...more
This is a collection of essays concerning the state of the American empire. Johnson demonstrates that the military-industrial complex not only exists, not as a conspiratorial sort of existence, but as a real, and entrenched system of military Keynesianism--where the government uses the Department of Defense, defense contractors, the CIA, and so on as a means for job creation and economic growth. But what Johnson argues is that this is economic suicide. Building bombs and weapons systems destroys...more
This (along with the other 2 books in the triogy, Blowback and Nemesis, is an important read for anyone concerned about the future of the US, both economically and politically. Will we gracefully dismantle our empire of some 747 military bases (not including Iraq and Afghanistan) over 500,000 troops, spies, contractors, dependents, and other on military bases located in 130 countries (there are only 192 countries in the UN) and the bloated military budget that goes with it, or will we take the s...more
This is a terrific series of essays by Professor Chalmers Johnson on the hidden costs of maintaining America's military influence across the globe. While Johnson does stray into some (weaker) morality arguments, his focus is mostly on the economic realities that aren't widely debated in the mainstream media, that America can simply no longer afford its Military Industrial Complex (aka domestic jobs programs).
Johnson does stray into a rather searing and hilarious critique of former Congressman Ra...more
Johnson does stray into a rather searing and hilarious critique of former Congressman Ra...more
First of all, I was sadned by the death of the brilliant Chalmers Johnson. As of the book, it had good points, which I've always agreed with, I mean just from the title, the acknowledgment of the existence of an American empire, denied by most Americans was enough for me ! It's just that sometimes it's a bit boring when the author gives irrelevant examples to illustrate, and that have nothing to do with the matter in question.... But anyhow, it was a good read !
A good ol fashioned liberal leaning rant that's content could have been adequately covered in 2 pages instead of 200.
Still, the more I think about it, the more it bothers me that foreign military spending isn't debated nearly as much as domestic spending issues, and for that reason I appreciate this book. It's hard for me to not compare the US to a fading Roman empire. It's an uncomfortable thought.
I think I'm becoming a libertarian...
Still, the more I think about it, the more it bothers me that foreign military spending isn't debated nearly as much as domestic spending issues, and for that reason I appreciate this book. It's hard for me to not compare the US to a fading Roman empire. It's an uncomfortable thought.
I think I'm becoming a libertarian...
Audiobook - continued education, this book should be mandatory in schools. Politics, Militarism I am ashamed at how little I know. This book is written so it is easy to understand, maybe not comprehend why things are the way they are.
Beware the Industrial Military Complex, none heeded Eisenhower and now we are in a big dodo.
George you have to read this book!!!!
Beware the Industrial Military Complex, none heeded Eisenhower and now we are in a big dodo.
George you have to read this book!!!!
This book laid out a convincing argument - strongly argued - that the current direction of our nation in the global perspective is not only wrong headed it is self destructive and destructive of the rest of the world as well.
Great read! I felt this book made some great connections and opened my eyes to the vast amounts of money that is not funneled to social services....
Author makes some valid points, although a bit strident and repetitious at times (for such a short book).
The analysis is always spot on , but I could do without the editorializing
provocative, prescient, a good read. a little too leftist on some issues: for instance, abolish the CIA? draw down our embassy initiatives in the middle east? Johnson seems to think that US foreign policy is all governed by what he calls the "military-industrial complex," a conspiratorial nexus linking the republican party and defense industries. most of his research is sound and very insightful, but some of his conclusions are astonishingly naive and radical. still, his general line of thought...more
Nov 26, 2010
Meredith
marked it as to-read
For Richie
I have read Johnson's trilogy preceding this book--this is a great summary of his perspective on the contemporary over-extension of American imperial power in 200 or so pages as opposed to the perhaps 1400 or so in the other texts (though the research and information in those books is invaluable). Essential reading.
I still find it hard to believe that we are letting all this happen!
In the tradition of Kevin Phillips' "Wealth and Democracy", Johnson reiterates the mainstream media's ignoring of the economic consequences of empire and concentration of wealth: the demise of our democracy, as predicted by Louis Brandeis.
Another good book by Chalmers Johnson. This book is part of his Blowback trilogy. He does a great job again by explaining how our foreign policy and the military industrial complex is leading our nation down the path of other (failed) empires.
I love Chalmers Johnsons' exposes of government misdeeds (particularly this about our military empire), but the book would have been far more interesting if it had been written from scratch, rather than a reprint of already published essays.
May 15, 2013
Fred Grube
marked it as to-read
May 14, 2013
Norris F
added it
May 10, 2013
Johnny
marked it as to-read
May 06, 2013
Jeffrey Mcandrew
marked it as to-read
Apr 30, 2013
Enos Mutwale
marked it as to-read
Apr 30, 2013
Ijaz Akhtar
marked it as to-read
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Chalmers Ashby Johnson was an American author and professor emeritus of the University of California, San Diego. He fought in the Korean war, from 1967-1973 was a consultant for the CIA, and ran the Center for Chinese Studies at the University of California, Berkeley for years. He was also president and co-founder of the Japan Policy Research Institute, an organization promoting public education a...more
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Oct 25, 2010 12:29pm