War and Human Rights Abuses in the United States

13 Pages Posted: 25 Feb 2018 Last revised: 4 Jun 2018

See all articles by Christopher J. Coyne

Christopher J. Coyne

George Mason University - Department of Economics

Abigail R Hall

University of Tampa

Date Written: February 25, 2018

Abstract

While many costs of war are obvious and recognized, the full domestic consequences are often understated or overlooked. War making — both preparations for war and the act of war itself — provides an avenue through which constraints on governments are either weakened or ignored, allowing for the trampling of domestic human rights. This paper examines how World War II and Cold War facilitated human rights abuses against U.S. citizens through illegal human experimentation. The discussion illustrates the corrosive effects of war-making on citizens’ rights in a constitutional democracy.

Keywords: Cold War, Biological Agent Testing, Human Rights, Nuclear Experiments, Radiation Experiments, Project Paperclip, World War II

Suggested Citation

Coyne, Christopher J. and Hall, Abigail R, War and Human Rights Abuses in the United States (February 25, 2018). GMU Working Paper in Economics No. 18-12, Available at SSRN: https://ssrn.com/abstract=3129711 or http://dx.doi.org/10.2139/ssrn.3129711

Christopher J. Coyne (Contact Author)

George Mason University - Department of Economics ( email )

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Fairfax, VA 22030
United States

HOME PAGE: http://www.ccoyne.com/

Abigail R Hall

University of Tampa ( email )

401 W Kennedy Blvd Box O
Tampa, FL 33606

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