Hidden Agendas

Modem democratic society is a mixture of centralized state power, a powerfulcorporate/finance sector, a virtually monopolized media network, and variouscivil institutions, the underlying ideological themes of which are the freedomof an individual to participate in the decision-making process and toexpress alternative viewpoints in the political, economic, and social spheres.Freedom has always been a cherished ideal, and freedom of thought a hardfought-for reality which today symbolizes one of the outward hallmarks ofmodem, particularly Western, societies. Pilger's book highlights the fact thatwhen this ideal - in essence the ability of a citizen to think, understand, andplay a meaningful role in managing the public affairs of his own society - coexistsalongside the reality of a set of powerful groupings working toward adifferent agenda within the same society, then true participatory citizenshipbecomes meaningless and democracy a sham. In other words, privileged elitesworking for their own wealth and self-interests become the leading orchestratorsof plans or "agendas" to maintain skewed power distributions, keeping thereality of matters so "hidden" from the public that a smoke screen of half-truthsand propaganda is created, preventing those outside from understanding reality,and therefore, acting in their own interests. These hidden agendas can takethe fonn of direct concealment or by the manufacture of consent (as defined byNoam Chomsky) whereby facts are manipulated and presented in such a guiseas to obtain the firm support of the individuals making up society.To the general reader, the title and subject matter of the book will undoubtedlyhave an almost conspiratorial ring about it, enough at least for most ...