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The Military-Industrial Complex in the Cold- War era of the 50’s and 60’s
by Michael
Ugulini
The term ‘military-industrial complex’ refers to the collusive tendencies that can result when a nation’s defense apparatus is reliant on the private defense industry to sustain itself and then by default the defense industry needs government contracts to sustain itself.
What can result is a mutually beneficial country-club where the members, as critics argue, are more concerned with perpetuating their environment and its perks then in serving the common good. Its defendants counter with the argument that this type of system is necessary in a democracy in order for a nation to properly defend itself – in other words, private enterprise, government, and the military working together for the common good in the most practical and efficient way possible…with some creative entrepreneurship thrown in for good measure.
Although he did not coin the term, Dwight D. Eisenhower did introduce it into the American lexicon on January 17th, 1961, when he used the term in his farewell address to the citizens of the United States. In this speech Eisenhower spoke of his concern that this marriage of the military establishment and the private arms industry would have the power to influence the politics of the nation – unduly so – a sort of tail wagging the dog situation where this ‘military-industrial complex’ would call the shots. He felt it necessary to warn the nation to be on guard for this potential danger, a new concept in the post World War II era.
His call was neither one disparaging the powerful U.S. military nor the private industry that supplied it-his call was to be vigilant that this relationship did not become a self-serving monster feeding on itself at the expense of peace and common sense in foreign policy.
Eisenhower saw that the Cold War chill of the 1950’s and early 1960’s was the perfect environment for the ‘military-industrial complex’ to flourish unchecked because of the nations need for a strong military- one that was able to respond swiftly to any threat.
It’s interesting to note that Eisenhower originally was going to give his speech using the tern ‘military-industrial-congressional complex’. This would have reminded the nation to the role Congress plays in fueling the military industry but Eisenhower refrained from this so as not to offend the members of Congress.
His warning did stand, though; he knew the country needed a powerful and modern military, and the private defense industry to supply it – he just wanted them both to have the checks and balances that were necessary to prevent the ‘military-industrial complex’ from becoming something that couldn’t be controlled.
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photo is public
domain ... Wikimedia Commons
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