National security

:For the 2003 movie starring Martin Lawrence, see National Security.

National security and rights & freedoms

The issue of national security has become an important topic for thinkers of all positions and dispositions in the United States and many other countries. Following the terrorist attacks of 9/11 and subsequent events, terrorism has become the primary focus of national security measures around the world.

Related Topics:
United States - 9/11 - Terrorism

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Public discourse on national security issues has highlighted the tension that exists between a state's self-preservation (by maintaining rights to self-determination and sovereignty) and rights and freedoms of individuals. This has led to ongoing dialectic, particularly in liberal democracies, on the appropriate scale and role of authority in matters of civil and human rights.

Related Topics:
Self-determination - Sovereignty - Rights - Freedoms - Dialectic - Liberal democracies - Authority - Civil - Human rights

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When society as a whole is threatened, the government will generally tend to support national security measures which entail restrictions on individual rights and freedoms. However, there are concerns that pretexts for suppressing unfavorable political and social views by restricting or suspending some rights and freedoms can be used as threats to national security. Critics do not suggest that measures should not be taken to maintain national security. Instead, they are concerned that where the exercise of national security laws and powers is not subject to good governance, the rule of law, and strict checks and balances, there is always a significant risk of abuse of these laws and powers, to the detriment of society.

Related Topics:
Unfavorable political and social views - Good governance - Rule of law - Checks and balances

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Taken to its logical conclusion, this view contends that measures which may ostensibly serve a national security purpose (such as mass surveillance, and censorship of mass media), could ultimately lead to an Orwellian dystopia.

Related Topics:
Logical - Mass surveillance - Censorship - Mass media - Orwellian - Dystopia

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The debate also raises questions about whether national security is ultimately weakened by the diversion of public sector funds away from basic services such as education, health care, disaster relief and emergency preparedness, and into national security measures and programs.

Related Topics:
Public sector - Education - Health care - Emergency preparedness

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In the United States the controversial USA Patriot Act has brought some of these issues to the attention of even the average citizen. The debate begs the question, "To what extent, for the sake of national security, can individual rights and freedoms be restricted?" Or, "is the restriction of civil rights for the sake of national security justified?"

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