Title: The price of peace
Description: The end of the Cold War, the wane of communism world-wide, and the quick victory in the Persian Gulf have led to reduced levels of military personnel and the development of fewer expensive high-tech weapons. Ready to embrace a peace dividend, politicians and citizens alike are eager to transfer surplus defense funds to other programs. However, defense industry expert William H. Gregory argues, to the contrary, that they will incur more economic burdens from plant and.

Base closings, and the loss of at least one million defense and military jobs. Even more devastating to the economy will be the long term effects that defense restructuring will have on the technological base of American industry. Unlike its chief overseas competitors, the United States has had no official policy on supporting industrial research. The government's major role in industrial technology has centered upon the research and production of weapons and other.

Military hardware. Though not by design, these defense projects have also stimulated technology for civilian markets. Some of the United States' most successful technologies, including jet transport, computers, and electronic semiconductors, were developed from the trillion dollar Cold War military research and procurement budgets. Without the Cold War's military spur to American technology, Gregory asserts, American industry will be at a disadvantage in facing foreign.

Competitors in the economic and market wars. Victory will go not to nations with the greatest firepower, but to those transferring technology into useful products better and faster. The government financing of commercial research in Europe and Japan makes it essential for the United States to take an active role in sponsoring industrial research and development. Gregory urges the federal government to forge new partnerships with industries, universities, and regional.

Groups to meet the economic demands of peace. However, old Cold War roles must be reversed. While government once put up money and dictated defense/industrial policy, it must now allow industry and market demand to lead the way. But, he adds, the government must also encourage new industrial technology and new dual (military and civilian) technologies by opening its own research laboratories to commercial research, and collapsing the barriers between research,

Development, and application. Only with government stimulation of commercial technology can we ensure our military, technological, and economic survival.
Subjects: Defense industries, High technology industries, Industrial policy
Places: United States