Origins of the Warfare State : World War II and the Transformation of American Politics

The post-World War II emergence of a full-blown state of perpetual war is arguably the most important feature of contemporary American politics. This book examines the 'warfare state' in terms of a broad ensemble of structures, policies, and ideologies: permanent war economy, national security-state, global expansion of military bases, merger of state, corporate, and military power, an imperial presidency, the nuclear establishment, and superpower ambitions. Carl Boggs makes the argument that the 'Good War' led to an authoritarian system that has expanded throughout the post-war decades, undermining liberal-democratic institutions and values in the process. He goes on to suggest that current American electoral politics show no sign of rolling back the warfare state and in fact, may push it to a new threshold bordering on American fascism.

"Insightfully linking current structures, policies, and ideology with the historical conditions that gave rise to the US as a global hegemon, Carl Boggs brilliantly exposes the emergence of a permanent "warfare state" and provides the reader with an essential understanding of the developments of the national security state and the imperial presidency since WWII." - Francis Shor, Wayne State University; Author of Dying Empire: U. S. Imperialism and Global Resistance

"While Hollywood continues to romanticize World War II as a "good war," Carl Boggs portrays the war for what it was: a massive industrial onslaught of death and destruction that consolidated a permanent American warfare state. . . .Dispassionately exploding myth after myth of the ascendant national security state, Boggs’ critical perspective also contains a moment of hope that we might yet escape imprisonment by the military-industrial complex." - George Katsiaficas, Wentworth Institute of Technology

"If you believe that democracy matters, read this book. Carl Boggs has written the most detailed, convincing, and insightful book yet to appear on the origins and spread of the warfare state." - Henry Giroux, McMaster University