Examples of Governmental Responses

Historically, science played a minor role in national affairs, until perhaps the rise of the industrial state and the exigencies of modern warfare promoted science and its technological offshoots into becoming a major participant. The Second World War in particular dramatically showed how scientific and technological advances could affect, and even turn the tide of battles. The more obvious of these were advances in radar, airplanes, and the development of atomic weapons; but there were important roles played by, for example, increased sophistication in meteorological prediction. Symbolic of this new-found importance was the creation of the role of the science advisor to government, as well as Ministries of Science and Technology. This importance of science to government was reciprocated through vastly increased commitments of developed-country governments to funding science, either through internal government research or through universities.