Is there a realistic alternative to nuclear deterrence?

As nuclear weapons are again becoming the subject of critical scholarship and progressive activism, this article provides a better understanding of the historical precursors of current ambitions.

By focusing on the central decade of the thermonuclear revolution (ca 1952–1963), it looks at a group of intellectuals, who were united by the central conviction that (international) politics in the nuclear age required new foundations.

In an attempt to reclaim nuclear politics for a wider public, these authors were among the first to point at the negative effects of a growing national security establishment. At the same time, they maintained that deterrence was no guarantee against nuclear war and they sought to bring a distinct, alternative vision of global politics and security into view.

This comprehensive yet multifaceted project, while afflicted by its own challenges, is deeply relevant for today’s nuclear politics.