Gang,

        I've become increasingly aware of the recurrence of the term
"neoliberalism" in many of Chomsky's writings, but also in the writings
and articles of those involved with several Latin American resistance
groups, such as the EZLN and the Tupac Amaru. While I, at first, took
the term to be synonymous with the "New Left" of the 1960's (Kennedy and
the like), I've become aware that the term is used disparingly and
doesn't seem to be related. There was, for example, the
"Intercontinental Gathering for Humanity and Against Neo-Liberalism,"
held by the rebels of Chiapas, Mexico, in which several prominent
members of the Zapatistas attended, in the summer of 1996. What,
exactly, is meant by "neoliberalism"? What I've been able to glean from
writings is that neoliberalism refers to a trend amongst G-7 nations to
coerce "developing" nations financially and therefore influence govt.
and power structure therein. How, then, is this related to liberalism,
which classically refer to leftist or liberal policies of solidarity
with the plight of 3rd world nations, and not the desire to subjugate
them? I'm getting confused by the semantics involved....
        Basically, if anyone can help me out, what I want to know is: 1) What
is a good definition of "neoliberalism"? and 2) How is this term related
to "liberalism" or liberal policy????
        Thanks for your help everyone.

                                --brian

I need a tape of Chomsky's C-SPAN lectures!!!!!!

--
"If it is correct, as I believe it is, that a fundamental element of
human nature is the need for creative work or creative inquiry, for free
creation without the arbitrary limiting effects of coercive
institutions, then of course it will follow that a decent society should
maximize the possibilities for this fundamental human characteristic to
be realized. Now, a federated, decentralized system of free associations
incorporating economic as well as social institutions would be what I
refer to as anarcho-syndicalism. And it seems to me that it is the
appropriate form of social organization for an advanced technological
society, in which human beings do not have to be forced into the
position of tools, of cogs in a machine. " --Noam Chomsky