Global Fission: The Battle over Nuclear Power

by Jim Falk

"There are two basic aspects to Global Fission. First, it presents a detailed account of the struggles over nuclear power in countries around the world, especially in the United States, various European countries, and Australia. The chronicle includes development and promotion of nuclear power, but focusses on the history and effect of the opposition, including legal intervention, lobbying, publicity, demonstrations and occupations. For this documentation alone the book is a valuable contribution.

The second aspect to the book is a focus on the relation of the state to the promotion of and to the opposition to nuclear power. Nuclear power by its nature - highly expensive, potentially quite dangerous, and dependent on experts - is ideally suited for systems of centralized political and economic power. Not surprisingly therefore, the chief driving force behind nuclear power has been the state itself."

-Brian Martin
Mathematics, The Faculties
ANU

Published in Politics, Vol. 18, No. 1, May 1983, p. 143

418 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 1983