Introduction

The widespread use of nuclear power to meet energy needs confirms that Eisenhower’s optimism has been embraced by many in the new era. This introduction presents an overview of the key concepts discussed in the subsequent chapters of this book. The book argues that the widespread adoption of nuclear power is predicated upon an ideology of progress which tends to ignore risks associated with complex technology in favor of the potential benefits presumed to arrive in its future. It considers the risks, costs and dangers that societies have endured as part of what Alvin Weinberg has referred to as a “faustian bargain” — the availability of a limitless energy source in return for society’s acceptance of the special political, economic and ideological demands of nuclear technology. The book offers a comprehensive examination of the range of societal risks posed by nuclear power.