Ike—the threat of technology
Ike also warned about the dark
side of technology.
What he seemed to be sensing was the shadow side of the war time
transformation of America into a highly technologized, primarily
military funded economy.
"Akin to, and largely
responsible for the sweeping changes in our
industrial-military posture, has been the
technological revolution during recent decades."
His fear was that the Federal government
would take over academic research, and that a technological
elite would determine public policy.
"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."
Continue—Ike
