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Abstract: This paper explores U.S. government activities related to human experimentation after World War II. We emphasize how a proactive foreign policy, even

Abstract: This paper explores U.S. government activities related to human experimentation after World War II. We emphasize how a proactive foreign policy, even in the pursuit of liberal ends, can undermine the rights and liberties of members the domestic populace. The typical primary justification for a strong military and proactive foreign policy is to protect the person and property of domestic people while reinforcing liberal values. But preparing for and engaging in war and foreign intervention, even if defensive in nature, often does the opposite in unseen and underappreciated ways. We discuss the implications of these tendencies and consider three responses offered by liberals—liberal empire, interstate federalism, and citizen-based defense.

hulitu 3y ago
The US learned a lot from Japanese and Germans.
- coldtea 3y ago
  It adopted all kinds of German rocket tech and scientists for the space program and millitary uses. And it co-opted both states post-war, complete with ex-fascists in positions of power and everything.
- washadjeffmad 3y ago
  The US pioneered social darwinism, eugenics, and commercial genocide. Andrew Jackson's ruthless campaigns of extermination against Native Americans a century earlier was a cited inspiration and model for the Holocaust. If we are our histories, the US are, as a people, still moral and ethical infants.
  - peteradio 3y ago
    If we are only our histories then I'm not sure what is the point of attempting to change. Surely we are not our histories.
- tpm 3y ago
  Did they really need to? https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tuskegee_Syphilis_Study https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tuskegee_Syphilis_Study
throwrqX 3y ago
The paper says it makes a connection between human experimentation and foreign policy but I don't really see it. Scientists were interested in how these chemicals or biological agents worked and I don't think it would have made a difference to them whether they worked for the military, or a civilian health agency, or a corporation. Similarly for nuclear materials post WW2 the thinking at the time was that nuclear energy was going to become widespread and so there was plenty of reason to study the effect of nuclear material on the human body without taking into consideration anything foreign policy related.

hulitu 3y ago

The US learned a lot from Japanese and Germans.

coldtea 3y ago
It adopted all kinds of German rocket tech and scientists for the space program and millitary uses. And it co-opted both states post-war, complete with ex-fascists in positions of power and everything.
washadjeffmad 3y ago
The US pioneered social darwinism, eugenics, and commercial genocide. Andrew Jackson's ruthless campaigns of extermination against Native Americans a century earlier was a cited inspiration and model for the Holocaust. If we are our histories, the US are, as a people, still moral and ethical infants.
- peteradio 3y ago
  If we are only our histories then I'm not sure what is the point of attempting to change. Surely we are not our histories.
tpm 3y ago
Did they really need to? https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tuskegee_Syphilis_Study https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tuskegee_Syphilis_Study

throwrqX 3y ago

The paper says it makes a connection between human experimentation and foreign policy but I don't really see it. Scientists were interested in how these chemicals or biological agents worked and I don't think it would have made a difference to them whether they worked for the military, or a civilian health agency, or a corporation. Similarly for nuclear materials post WW2 the thinking at the time was that nuclear energy was going to become widespread and so there was plenty of reason to study the effect of nuclear material on the human body without taking into consideration anything foreign policy related.