SMALL
is the new big
Destructive Use of Nanotechnology
Deliberate misuse of nanotechnology for military agression may lead to potentially catastrophic and long-term danger. This problem is exacerbated by the fact that nanotechnology is still a relatively new area of development and thus very costly. Developing nations may not have the means to access these technologies, and may be prone to exploitation by the developed nations. It has been said that nanotechnology will be highly involved in future warfares.
For instance, developed countries may use nanotechnology destructively to strike fear in developing countries, as they attempt to extract resources from these countries or to advane their political agendas. The United States' strong military presence in Asia bears testimony to this claim as sophisticated weapons and warships are heavily involved, especially after the recent 'pivot' back to Asia.
‘Once the basic technology is available, it would not be difficult to adapt it as an instrument of war or terror.'
- Howard, 2002
Political Impact
Possible Nanotechnology Arms Race
Military developments in the area of nanotechnology hint at the worrying possibility of a nanotechnology arms race. Countries may compete for superiority in quantity and quality of military arms. There is fear that a Cold War style arms race migh emerge, resulting in countries competing for supremacy in nanotechnology warfare.
It is clear that offensive weapons made using advanced nanotechnology can only be stopped by defensive systems made using advanced nanotechnology as well. If one side has such weapons and the other doesn’t, the outcome will be swift and very lopsided. This is just a specific instance of the general rule that technological superiority plays an important and often critical role in determining the victor in battle. Clearly, we will need much further research into defensive systems as this technology becomes more mature.
State-citizen relationship
There is another mechanism whereby nanotechnology can be expected to concentrate political power in the hands of governments. Nanotechnology can be expected to be applied to further miniaturise and improve surveillance technologies such as cameras, listening devices, tracking devices, and face and pattern recognition technologies. The improvements in electronics and computer memory that nanotechnology makes possible also facilitate the capacity of organisations to share, collect, store, and analyse data. Developments in nanotechnology can therefore be expected to greatly increase the ability of governments to keep track of their citizens. This in turn is likely to assist authoritarian governments maintain their power and stifle social dissent.
Shows an escalating trend of expenditure.
Shows the amount spent on nanotechnology relative to other countries from 2008 to 2010
Shows an escalating trend of expenditure.
However, in the event that nanotechnology falls into the wrong hands, say, into that of rogue nations, neighbouring countries' security may be threatened. A rogue state might gain the technology and hold the world hostage to the state’s demands on the threat of, say, release of a genetically targeted “virus.”
Further, there is also a fear that developed countries may export nanotechnology to rogue states in a bid to increase their revenue. Britain for instance, gains billions of dollars in revenue from arms sales to rogue states. International organisations should therefore ensure that an orderly, rational and safe distribution of nanotechnology, and that international sanctions against rogue nations are adhered to.