Scientists And International Politics

The Pugwash Movement, an international society of scientists against nuclear weapons and war, was launched by Bertrand Russell, Albert Einstein, Frederic Joliot-Curie, and others during the mid 1950s. Under the guidance of the Russell-Einstein Manifesto, its main activities were to convene annual conferences, symposia, workshops and study groups to deal with issues such as nuclear weapons, chemical and biological weapons, energy, environment, regional conflicts, global security, space security and social responsibility of scientists. Pugwash has earned an excellent reputation for its contribution to arms control, nuclear disarmament and world security. Therefore the 1995 Nobel Peace Prize was awarded to Sir Joseph Rotblat, one of the founders of the Pugwash Movement, and the Movement's organization, the Pugwash Conference on Science and World Affairs, for their considerable efforts for disarmament and peace.The most important issue discussed in this dissertation is how the Pugwash Movement contributed to world disarmament and peace during the Cold War and involves four relevant questions:1. How could the Russell-Einstein Manifesto lead to continuous international meetings and peaceful movement of scientists?2. Why could scientists from East and West assemble in order to evaluate the perils caused by nuclear weapons and the tense international situation, though there was serious political and ideological division between them?3. Why could scientists influence governments when they attended Pugwash meetings as individuals, not as representatives of their governments or institutions?4. How would the Pugwash Movement inspire Chinese scientists to assume their social responsibility and commitment to international political affairs?This dissertation investigates not only statements, reports, proceedings, newsletters, papers and monographs published by the Pugwash Conference,but also the work Pugwashites, experts on world peace movements, and Chinese scholars have done, as well as negative reviews of other scholars. It analyzes five interacting main causes of Pugwash's early success:1. Transcending political bloc interests and ideologies for the survival and security of mankind and upheld objectivity, neutrality and independence to win the trust and support of scientists and governments in East and West;2. Maintaining close multidisciplinary collaboration collaboration between natural and social scientists created original ideas and new feasible suggestions to limit arms proliferation, and to promote nuclear disarmament and international security;3. Using scientific knowledge to sway the media, the general public, and the international scientific community and win support from all sectors of society in order to realize an open statement of scientists and the first international conference of scientists from East and West;4. Keeping meetings private, informal and unofficial to help scientists to exchange their own views more freely and frankly;Influencing young scientists and students more directly to ensure the continual development and evolution of the Pugwash Movement;5. Influencing arms control and nuclear disarmament policies of related governments and the United Nations from inside by inviting influential scientists and policy experts such as science and arms-control advisers to governments, key figures in academies of science and universities, former and possible future high government officials, officials and experts of the United Nations and other international organizations to attend Pugwash meetings.The early experience and later continuous evolution of the Pugwash Movement have shown that scientists were able to assume special responsibility and reflect their commitment to all of mankind's for the sake of peace and security of the entire humankind by influencing government decision-makers, public media and the international scientific community by using rational analysis and objective inquiry, discussing the controversial international political affairs and making sure that science and technology are employed for the benefit of humankind instead of its destruction, even if the final decision is always made by political and military leaders. That should be the greatest inspiration for today's Chinese scientific community.