Proponents of both nuclear power and nuclear weapons have often argued that the debate on these matters is best confined to those expert enough to comprehend the technical complexities involved. These two books are contributions to that debate based on an alternative view – that the nuclear issue is increasingly central to national and international politics and indeed to the question of human survival. As such it demands the widest possible debate and understanding.

Dr Camilleri’s The State and Nuclear Power is likely to become a landmark in this debate. This detailed exploration of the vital role of the state in developing and expanding the nuclear power industry is a significant contribution to an understanding of both the politics of nuclear power and the functioning of the modem capitalist state.

The central argument is that, right from the beginning the state has had to intervene to initiate and sustain all aspects of the nuclear power industry. This intervention has been increasingly necessary as the industry has had to confront major economic and political difficulties but increased intervention has brought with it serious conflicts and contradictions both within and between different states.