Were the Soviet Union to sink tomorrow under the waters of the ocean, the American military-industrial establishment would have to go on, substantially unchanged, until some other adversary could be invented. Anything else would be an unacceptable shock to the American economy.
About this quote
- What does it mean?
- Kennan argues the US military-industrial complex would survive even without the Soviet Union by inventing new adversaries to sustain the economy.
- In plain terms
- The military industrial complex would stay strong even without the Soviet Union by finding new enemies.
- What can you take from it?
- Beware of institutions that need enemies to survive.
Where it applies
Putting it to work
Questions to consider
- Does the military need enemies?
- How do we fund defense fairly?
Another view
A strong defense is needed for national protection.
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