Harrison Brown - Nuclear Arms and the Orwellian World (1984)

 

Abstract

 

If present trends continue, the emergence of an Orwellian world is certainly plausible. Today we see manifestations of that world appearing in many parts of our globe, including the United States. In an era of hydrogen bombs and microchips new powers have been placed in the hands of those who want to rule absolutely.

Of paramount importance is that the United States and the Soviet Union find themselves locked in an arms race, which has gone for nearly 40 years and has grown to enormous proportions. We have passed the point where the victims of an all-out war would be primarily from the warring countries. Indeed, it now appears that the victims of a major nuclear exchange might number 4 billion persons who would primarily be the residents of the developing countries of the Northern Hemisphere.

This new element of nuclear confrontation suggests that in the absence of a substantial program of nuclear disarmament we can expect a major upsurge of sabotage and terrorism in the more technologically advanced societies. Measures taken to counteract such developments will almost certainly lead to greatly increased government controls over the activities and the thoughts of people.