If politics and business fail us, of course the military will be called in. In the developing world, the massive and repeated ecological disasters are quite commonly met by the military.
About this quote
- What does it mean?
- When civil institutions fail, the military is often deployed to handle ecological disasters.
- In plain terms
- If governments and businesses fail, the military steps in to help.
- What can you take from it?
- Military forces often back up failing civil systems.
Where it applies
Putting it to work
Questions to consider
- What happens when the state fails?
- Is military aid a sign of weak governance?
Another view
This may not apply equally to all regions or governments.
More from Bruce Sterling
If disasters get bad enough, they certainly become national-security threats and the National Guard is called in.
Permalink to quote #30 If the National Guard never goes home because the weather never gets any better, that's a scenario we Viridians like to call 'Khaki Green.'
Permalink to quote #32 If bin Laden is in fact publicly killed, then the US military will find itself standing around with its hands in its pockets, wondering what's supposed to come…
Permalink to quote #29
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