The Menace of Atomic Energy

by Ralph Nader, John Abbotts

“This book by Nader and John Abbotts, a nuclear engineer who has worked for Nader for the last five years, is the only one that covers the field. I predict it will become the handbook for a long time for anyone who is worried about the biological, social, and economic cost of this technology.” ―David Dinsmore Comey, Chicago Sun-Times Book Week In this book, Ralph Nader and John Abbotts replace the myth of nuclear energy with a clear description of the technology and its attendant perils. They analyze the performance of the atomic energy industry as it affects workers, consumers, taxpayers, and future generations. They take the reader step by step through the political thicket of atomic energy from the local community level to international relations. Decisions now being made about nuclear power will have far-reaching effects upon our economy, our institutions, and our freedom. Above all, this book emphasizes that such choices must not be left only to experts and politicians. This is both a chilling and a hopeful book, one for readers who want to be informed as well as for those who want to get involved. It is a book of solutions. Alternative energy sources―safer, cheaper―are discussed, as are the efforts of citizens’ groups around the country to explore these possibilities. For the paperback edition, the authors have revised and expanded the chapter “Challenging Electric Utilities,” the list of information sources, and the notes, and have added a chapter detailing new developments.

432 pages, Paperback

First published April 1, 1979

About the author

American attorney, author, lecturer, political activist, and candidate for President of the United States in five elections, including the last election 0f 2008, with his role in the 2000 election in particular being subject to much debate.

Areas of particular concern to Nader include consumer rights, humanitarianism, environmentalism, and democratic government. Nader is the first Arab American presidential candidate in the U.S.

Reviews

[Sarah · Rating 3 out of 5]

Book 32 of Nuclear Studies:

Another book that serves as a time capsule for the thinking around nuclear power in the 1970s, Nader's and Abbotts' arguments are persuasive and backed by a thorough discussion of the science-something a lot of the anti-nuclear books seem to lack. Peppered throughout are stories that put names and faces to specific problems that plague the industry, some of which were novel to me and have likely fallen into obscurity in subsequent decades.

I spent a lot of time searching specific power plants and projects that Nader calls out, as I was curious how they had fared over the years. Obviously, certain historical events that had not yet happened at the time of writing ended up finally catching the public's attention and turning the tide against nuclear power. It's interesting to read about the grassroots efforts of individual people and it strengthens my belief in the necessity of dissent and whistleblowing. Nuclear power, in its current state, benefited from the efforts of these people. It's only by an iterative process of design and dissent that things can improve.

But if nuclear power is too dangerous in its current state, why should we not try to iterate and make it better? It's only now, five decades later, that we are even beginning to hear about improved and safer reactor design and it's because the industry has been hampered. Nader strangely offers an entire chapter of alternatives to nuclear power, where he says that oil and gas plants, coal plants, and burning trash are superior to nuclear. I was shocked to read this, as he made no real effort to address the immediate problems of pollution that these cause. You can't spend a whole book talking about the problems of pollution by nuclear and then say we should just keep burning oil and gas. We need to innovate if we are to survive and that means considering all options.

There's a lot of discussion about the Price-Anderson act and how if a source of power wouldn't accept liability for damages, it's clearly too dangerous. This argument is fantastic, if the only source of power at the time benefiting from the Price-Anderson act is nuclear. However, nowadays, hydroelectric plants (a clean source of energy in Nader's opinion) also fall under reduced liability clauses.

The last section of the book was mostly about calls to action in different levels of society. I skimmed this section mostly, as it's interesting only from a time capsule perspective on how dissent looked before the Internet. Overall, the book was a little dry and probably not accessible except for the more dedicated readers.