Nuclear Arms and Human Rights

Speaker: Professor Niall Ferguson
Chair: Professor Michael Cox
This event was recorded on 1 March 2011 in Old Theatre, Old Building
The decisive breakthroughs in the Cold War occurred in seemingly unrelated fields -- nuclear arms control and human rights. But was the collapse of communism a reflection of imperial overstretch or the result of liberal aspirations for freedom? This event celebrates the publication of Professor Ferguson's new book Civilization: The West and the Rest. Niall Ferguson is Philippe Roman Chair in History and International Affairs at LSE IDEAS for 2010-11.

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[Re5Publica]

@Himmler620 It's quite different.... the only comparaison I'll concede is infanticide and abortion. I've often made the argument myself that considering abortions progressive is ludicrous since abortions were carried out by barbarous peoples in ancient and medieval times. Today, the majority of babies diagnosed in the womb with defects are aborted, yet we somehow consider it appaling that Spartans might have abandoned sickly children to their death.

[Himmler620]

@Re5Publica Gladiator fighting is no different from how the USA government executes known criminals. Infanticide is no different from how the USA legalizes abortions. Slavery is just the assertment of ones rights to own an inferior being, do you know own and eat inferior beings yourself? (why vegetarians think eating meat is wrong..), and crucifiction is just another judical punishment for convicted criminals. Of course if you want to talk about atrocious acts then Penile plethysmograph is bad..

[Himmler620]

As long as civilized men survive then civilization will continue. Such fear mongering from a good for nothing shit seller whom's only ability is in speaking and writing well, and whom is only interested in peddling is abilities as a writer in books is atrocios. People like him encourage cowardice, inaction, and actions that are contrary to our benefits. Never do people like him talk of the interception probabibility rates of such counter weapon systems. Never, all they do is fear monger.

[0r14n583lt]

Mr. Ferguson, we were simply lucky. There were many false alarms at NORAD and the Soviet equivalent that nearly went unchecked seconds before launch. The only thing that kept us from oblivion was the value of preservation of life that is presently not shared by all nuclear capable states and a whole lot of luck.

[throbbingG]

When he says a lot of good stuff has been written right now about the history of human rights and he mentions 'Arners 3rd volume' does anyone know what book he is talking about?

[muhammadzahmad]

worth watching video

[CenturionTolteca]

this " professor " lives in a world of books words and numbers, he doesn't know real life.

[OneWorldHistory]

Niall is wonderful, his major fault is that he is decisive. The world isnt east or west, it's all one big human mistake of thinking it's east and west....

[malma1]

I find Niall Ferguson self-regarding and narcissistic. His argument is murky and rambling. He lacks humanity. I not convinced that he knows what 'civilisation' is...

[Re5Publica]

@nico3212 You shouldn't romanticize the Roman and Greek world, they were societies with rituals, institutions and traditions we'd consider appalling today, from pedestry, gladitorial combat, slavery, infanticide, incest and of course... crucifixion.