FROM WARFARE TO WEALTH — The myth of American idealism

Our new series, WAR FOR THE RICH, is a progressive critique of the Federal Government’s defense and foreign policy conduct. Provides in-depth analysis of Australia’s $368 billion AUKUS commitment and the wider militarization of our economy.

It is planned to be held ahead of the ALP national conference (23-25 July), which will shape the Government’s policy platform and strategic direction for at least the next two years, in the hope that, alongside increasing pressure from wider society, these arguments against militarization may be convincing enough to make their mark.

Chapter 3: The myth of American idealism

This article is the third part of the War for Riches: Driving Australia’s Future series. You can read the first part HERE and the second part HERE. The next episode will be released soon.

Noam Chomsky and Nathan J Robinson challenge the mythology of American exceptionalism and its consequences for Australia, writes David Higginbottom.

It is RARE to find a single volume that describes the world we have inherited. The Myth of American Idealism it does exactly that.

Co-authored Noam ChomskyOne of the most prominent public intellectuals and political commentators of our time Nathan J RobinsonThis book is a must-read for anyone who wants to understand what the American-led world order has actually created.

It’s a stunning revelation of what our averted gaze doesn’t show us, and a compelling argument for why we should fundamentally reject the self-serving image of American philanthropy.

It is worth noting that the book was previously published in October 2024. Donald TrumpHis return to the White House. The authors’ central argument is that American foreign policy has always been driven by the pursuit of domination rather than the promotion of freedom, and this is true regardless of which party is in power.

Trump’s second term does not disprove this thesis; If anything, this confirms that in the starkest way possible; Trump completely ignores what previous administrations have accomplished through idealistic mythology. His arrogance is so complete that he doesn’t bother to hide his true intentions. The mask did not slip; was thrown away. Chomsky and Robinson’s argument that myth is always a myth is now apparent to anyone paying attention.

Mafia Doctrine and the ‘Fifth Freedom’

The central premise of the book is simple: The United States, like all great powers throughout history, is driven by the pursuit of strategic and economic dominance, not by issues of principle or human rights. Writers dismantle persistent narrative American exceptionalism -The idea that the United States is a “shining city on a hill” whose foreign policy is guided by the desire to spread democracy and freedom.

Instead, Chomsky and Robinson argue that US foreign policy is guided by what they call the “Mafia Doctrine.” The Father’s word is law and those who disobey the Father will be punished. If a nation disobeys, it is not brought back into line; This is given as an example so that others do not get the idea that disobedience is permissible.

This dynamic is what the authors call the “Fifth Freedom”; freedom to dominate, Franklin D Rooseveltfamous Four Freedoms When they conflict with the interests of American elites.

This framing is very important for understanding the post-World War II period. The book meticulously documents how the United States has consistently opposed democratic movements and social reforms in the Global South when they threatened the interests of American investors or strategic planners. Overthrow of democratically elected governments Guatemala And chileto devastating wars Southeast Asia And Middle EastThe record reveals a pattern of intervention designed to maintain control, not to promote freedom.

Declassified internal documents cited throughout the book make clear that the primary threat Washington feared was not aggression but “the threat of setting a good example”; the danger that a nation that chooses its own path will encourage others to do the same.

An Australian lens

For Australian readers, this book is not just an account of distant events. This is a mirror held up to our own strategic choices, and the reflection is disturbing.

Australia’s commitment AUKUS It represents a deepening integration with the power structure that Chomsky and Robinson describe. We are spending hundreds of billions of dollars on a security model built around U.S. strategic superiority, just at a time when the priority is becoming both more aggressive and more unstable. While it would be wiser to embrace peace and actively work towards peace, we are strengthening our relationship with a weakening and increasingly unstable regime.

Make Peace a Priority campaign He articulated what this alternative looked like in practical terms: expanding Australia’s diplomatic capacity for conflict prevention, consolidating peacebuilding functions within government, and UN Peacebuilding Commission. These are not utopian desires; They are the kind of concrete, funded institutional reforms that will direct Australia’s extraordinary resources towards human security rather than military dependence.

Missed glances and manufactured mythologies

One of its greatest strengths The Myth of American Idealism It is an investigation of how this reality is hidden. How can a nation responsible for such widespread suffering continue to see itself as the world’s greatest force for good?

The answer lies in the production of mythology. The authors detail how a docile media and complicit intellectual class consistently frame acts of aggression as “mistakes” or “mistakes” rather than crimes. The United States is always assumed to act with noble intentions. Victims are “collateral damage,” while the victims of enemies are evidence of their inherent evil.

This double standard allows the public to shift its gaze away from the human cost of US policies. The book forces us to look at the consequences of this willful ignorance, learning after the fact things we chose not to see at the time.

The structure of the book also reflects this claim. ‘Part One – Record: Idealism in Action’ It makes a very strong case, moving chapter by chapter through the Global South, Southeast Asia, Afghanistan, Iraq, Palestine, China, Russia, and the nuclear and climate crises. ‘Part Two – Understanding the Power System’ He then explains the internal and ideological mechanism that keeps this record secret.

Together they form something rare: a complete account of the world that the American century has built, as opposed to the world defined by mythology.

Threat to humanity’s survival

The final chapters move from criticism to urgent warning. The authors argue that the US quest for global hegemony is driving humanity towards two catastrophic points: nuclear war and climate collapse.

The current arms race with China is presented as a tragic example of America choosing threats over diplomacy. By refusing to accept a multipolar world and insisting on maintaining “international superiority,” the United States is creating a much more dangerous environment.

At the same time, the focus on military dominance overshadows the cooperation needed to address the climate crisis. Atomic Scientists’ Doomsday Clock NewsletterNow, 85 seconds to midnight serves as the clearest measure of how close the current course of events has brought us to the end of everything.

For Australia, this is not an abstract concern. World military spending reaches record 2.887 trillion US dollars (AU$4.18 trillion) in 2025, the 11th consecutive annual increase. Australia’s own defense spending will reach 3 per cent of GDP by 2033.

Every dollar committed to this pathway is a dollar not invested in climate change resilience, regional diplomacy, housing, healthcare, or peacebuilding infrastructure. Make Peace a Priority campaign This, he argues, is the only reliable path to true security.

obligation to resist

The Myth of American Idealism It is not an advice of despair. Although criminal records are narcotic, Chomsky and Robinson emphasize that thought control systems can quickly break down when people choose to look reality in the face.

We are at a unique moment in history. We can continue to accept the mythology of American idealism, or we can recognize that the world created by this ideology is fundamentally unsafe. Trump’s second term, with its open disdain for international law, multilateral institutions, and even democratic norms, is not a departure from the American tradition that Chomsky and Robinson describe. This is its logical culmination; The same system stripped of its disguise.

For Australia, the choice is concrete. We can continue to deepen our integration with a power that has a history of violence and deception. Or we can take seriously the alternative: an independent foreign policy, a genuine commitment to peace as a funded national priority, and the courage to say, as Whitlam once tried to say, that our sovereignty and our values are not for sale. By rejecting the myth, we can begin to build the future. Make Peace a Priority campaign envisions, and that is what this essential book requires.

The Myth of American Idealism: How U.S. Foreign Policy Endangers the World. It is published by Penguin and is available in paperback or e-book from all bookstores.

This article, FROM WAR TO RICH, is the third in a multi-part series examining the true costs of our current defense trajectory and exploring the alternatives suggested by Make Peace a Priority.MPAP) offer. You can read the first part HERE and the second part HERE.

David Higginbottom is a member of the coordinating committee. Independent and Peaceful Australia Network (IPAN) and coordinator of the Make Peace Our Priority campaign (mpap.au).

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