Government in the Future Noam Chomsky The Poetry Center in New York, New York February 16, 1970 This is a useful discussion outlining a framework of political perspectives relevant to the modern era, with the term "modernity" referring roughly to the dawn of the industrial era beginning roughly with the introduction of steam powered machine engines that transformed the nature of work and social relations and subsequent sociology-political developments. Audio and transcript: I think it is useful to set up as a framework for discussion four somewhat idealized positions with regard to the role of the state in an advanced industrial society. I want to call these positions: (1) classical liberal, (2) libertarian socialist, (3) state socialist, (4) state capitalist, and I want to consider each in turn. Also, I’d like to make clear my own point of view in advance, so that you can evaluate and judge what I am saying. I think that the libertarian socialist concepts, and by t...