The big difference to the 80s compared to today, at least in the West, is the the Cold War. Cold War was a huge economic engine for state subsided private comp

The big difference to the 80s compared to today, at least in the West, is the the Cold War. Cold War was a huge economic engine for state subsided private companies that not only produced defense material but also that innovation spread into commercial products, cars, electronics, telecommunication etc. Today that process within some areas (not tanks) almost the reverse, Defense departments now buy off the shelves components instead of custom made. With that said I think that Chomsky oversimplifies when calling the todays IT sector for parasitic, you have that perspective when you think the state should govern the economy & innovation from a state perspective. I think a better and more pragmatic view is is should be a symbiosis between two different interest.