Plus ça change

[firecat]

I'm taking a MOOC (Massively Open Online Course) called The Causes of War, and this was referenced.

Eisenhower farewell address extract, 17 January 1961
http://mcadams.posc.mu.edu/ike.htm

Until the latest of our world conflicts, the United States had no armaments industry. American makers of plowshares could, with time and as required, make swords as well. But now we can no longer risk emergency improvisation of national defense; we have been compelled to create a permanent armaments industry of vast proportions. Added to this, three and a half million men and women are directly engaged in the defense establishment. We annually spend on military security more than the net income of all United States corporations.

This conjunction of an immense military establishment and a large arms industry is new in the American experience. The total influence – economic, political, even spiritual – is felt in every city, every Statehouse, every office of the Federal government. We recognize the imperative need for this development. Yet we must not fail to comprehend its grave implications. Our toil, resources and livelihood are all involved; so is the very structure of our society.

In the councils of government, we must guard against the acquisition of unwarranted influence, whether sought or unsought, by the military-industrial complex. The potential for the disastrous rise of misplaced power exists and will persist.
We must never let the weight of this combination endanger our liberties or democratic processes.

Comments

[libskrat]

Wow.

I don't usually think of Eisenhower and wisdom together. But wow.

[firecat]

Yeah, I thought it was very cool! And sad, because we didn't take the advice.

[libskrat]

I could see that quote being one HELL of a rallying point to make some parts of the political spectrum that are rah-rah-Homeland-Security think twice, though. Gotta keep doing that work somehow.

[firecat]

I hope you're right! If I knew some people like that, I would send it to them...

[libskrat]

I kind of have the same problem. :(

[thnidu]

I had read that Ike (who I remember my father ranting against) coined the phrase and concept "military-industrial complex". This is probably where.

[firecat]

Yep, that's what the people teaching the course said.

[silveradept]

General Eisenhower knew better than most people what the dangers of a standing professional army were, but his party betrayed him in their pants-wetting fear of Communism (now terrorism) and gave the defense industry everything it wanted.

[firecat]

I wonder if people in his party were really afraid or seeing an opportunity to line their cronies' pockets.

{sigh}

[silveradept]

Both and, regrettably. Dr. Rachel Maddow wrote a book on this, called Drift. It's a good selection to learn more about how badly things went wrong.

[johnpalmer]

It's probably a bit of both. Repeat a threat long enough and it seems more credible. And, look, we have *so much wealth* and we *do* need a strong national defense... sure, this is going to my buds, but that's not a *crime*.