Twin Warnings from Ike—a History Lesson
Many readers are familiar with President Dwight Eisenhower's famous 1961 farewell address, where he warned Americans of the necessarily evil of the military-industrial complex and the potential for undue and dangerous influence on our society and policies. Regarding its necessity in the modern world, he observed:
“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...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 state house, 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.”
Yet immediately after this concession, Eisenhower issued this somber warning:
“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.”
His observations and warnings about the military-industrial complex were prophetic. Something that many conservatives praise and take for granted today was something that conservatives in generations preceding us cautioned against.
While many are familiar with this facet of General Eisenhower's warning, there was a second thing he warned us about...the potential and related danger of technological advancement and its impacts on policy. Pointing out the relationship between the military, industry, research, and the federal government, he observed:
“Akin to, and largely responsible for the sweeping changes in our industrial-military posture, has been the technological revolution during recent decades. In this revolution, research has become central; it also becomes more formalized, complex, and costly. A steadily increasing share is conducted for, by, or at the direction of, the Federal government...The prospect of domination of the nation's scholars by Federal employment, project allocations, and the power of money is ever present and is gravely to be regarded.”
And again, immediately following an astute and prophetic observation, Eisenhower cautioned:
“Yet, in holding scientific research and discovery in respect, as we should, we must also be alert to the equal and opposite danger that public policy could itself become the captive of a scientific-technological elite.”
Depending on the party in power, which has changed many times in the 60 years since Eisenhower left office, it is clear that America has fallen prey to both of these influences (sometimes both simultaneously) as well as the political partisanship he said was thankfully avoided during his Administration, all of which continually threaten the principles upon which our Republic was founded.
We would do well to use our time being better students of history and paying less attention to talking heads paid for by very groups whose influence Eisenhower warned us about.
Here is President Eisenhower's short speech in its entirety.