November 14, 2013

Eisenhower on "The insolvent phantom of tomorrow."

eisenhower.jpg

"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. We should take nothing for granted. Only an alert and knowledgeable citizenry can compel the proper meshing of the huge industrial and military machinery of defense with our peaceful methods and goals, so that security and liberty may prosper together.

"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.

"Today, the solitary inventor, tinkering in his shop, has been overshadowed by task forces of scientists in laboratories and testing fields. In the same fashion, the free university, historically the fountainhead of free ideas and scientific discovery, has experienced a revolution in the conduct of research. Partly because of the huge costs involved, a government contract becomes virtually a substitute for intellectual curiosity. For every old blackboard there are now hundreds of new electronic computers. 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.

"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.

"It is the task of statesmanship to mold, to balance, and to integrate these and other forces, new and old, within the principles of our democratic system -- ever aiming toward the supreme goals of our free society.

Another factor in maintaining balance involves the element of time. As we peer into society's future, we -- you and I, and our government -- must avoid the impulse to live only for today, plundering for our own ease and convenience the precious resources of tomorrow. We cannot mortgage the material assets of our grandchildren without risking the loss also of their political and spiritual heritage. We want democracy to survive for all generations to come, not to become the insolvent phantom of tomorrow."

Source: American Rhetoric: Dwight D. Eisenhower -- Farewell Address

Posted by gerardvanderleun at November 14, 2013 12:33 PM
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"It is impossible to speak in such a way that you cannot be misunderstood." -- Karl Popper N.B.: Comments are moderated and may not appear immediately. Comments that exceed the obscenity or stupidity limits will be either edited or expunged.

A vision that has become more true than not. His words have not been heeded. We are more and more under the control of government funded science programs. NSA, climate change/green utopias, food pyramids/dietary standards, medical research, and more loom ever more intrusive in our daily lives.

The left always seemed to believe it was only a warning about a bloated military. As a result, they have worked at length, without heed for danger, to make it dangerously small. There was much bloat in the industrial complex that served the military. I saw a lot of it in the 60s and 70s, but that was slowly whittled away. Is there still too much fat? To be sure, but wherever government money and contracts are on offer, there will be con artists and thieves trying to get their share.

But above all, it is these words that have been most ignored:
"As we peer into society's future, we -- you and I, and our government -- must avoid the impulse to live only for today, plundering for our own ease and convenience the precious resources of tomorrow. We cannot mortgage the material assets of our grandchildren without risking the loss also of their political and spiritual heritage."

Posted by: Jimmy J. at November 14, 2013 1:54 PM

It was good advice in 1960, and it is too bad nobody in the political establishment paid attention to it. However, it's water under the bridge now.

Posted by: Lorne at November 14, 2013 2:06 PM

You didn't beat Hitler, Ike. The Russians did. And they bled for it, as did many other young men of the alliance. Meanwhile you could have repealed socialism security and the rest of the New Deal crap when you became President. But you didn't. Now my generation's retirement money got spent buying Democrat votes by LBJ and every pol since. I'll never forgive you or MacArthur or Patton for what you did to the Bonus Army.

Posted by: RKV at November 14, 2013 7:14 PM

All talk. Eisenhower did what all “conservatives” do: conserve his predecessor’s innovations. He did nothing to roll back the New Deal. Nixon did not roll back the New Frontier. Even Reagan left Carter’s Department of Education in place. Republicans and conservatives have been all talk since 1932.

Posted by: ErisGuy at November 15, 2013 1:00 AM

It was never the military-industrial complex that was a threat. It has always been the political-industrial complex that threatens our existence with politics being the most threatening leg of the two. Politics tries to disarm us by "laws", then spy on us by usurping tech companies, and then will compromise the military by installing "political correctness" officers. As Diane West has pointed out in her new book it does seem that neither FDR, Truman, or Eisenhower lost any sleep over communists in the political system. And it is the political systems worldwide that have killed tens of millions of their own people. Neither industry or the military can operate without the ok of the political realm.

Posted by: indyjonesouthere at November 15, 2013 1:13 PM

This is the same speech in which Eisenhower warned about the scientific-industrial complex which Al Gore has so successfully ridden to billions of dollars and dozens of accolades.

Posted by: Christopher Taylor at November 17, 2013 5:06 PM