The national security state and cultures of secrecy are two connected concepts that reflect the ties between the military, government and secret agencies. National security state is when a country has a strong military that influences a country's political, economic and social landscapes. Secrecy plays a large role in this system. By using covert operations with secret agencies such as the CIA. The cultures of secrecy on the other hand, involve the government withholding information from its citizens in order to preserve intelligence that may be harmful if obtained by foreign country spies living in America. The CIA plays a major role in this culture due to the protection of their operations conducted to make sure they stay unknown.
One example of the national security state in the U.S was the nuclear arms race. In rural Nevada during the cold war, Americans pushed an effort to create powerful nuclear weapons that could change the art of war. The U.S government kept these advancements a secret to the public, so it would stay unknown by foreign enemies. Although the government argued that the secrecy was necessary, those living close to the testing sites were kept in the dark about the risks they faced. The nuclear weapons that were created ended WW2 in favor of the U.S but at the cost of the public's trust.
After the cold war ended in 1991, the national security state did not disappear. It is still prominent in many different forms. After 9/11 the U.S expanded surveillance and increased its military presence world wide. Today the National security state is mainly used to prevent terrorism attack efforts. Agencies such as NSA, CIA and FBI play key roles in this effort. The cultures of secrecy are still pervasive, the public is often kept in the dark about the full extent of classified military operations to ensure safety of the U.S by keeping the people from fully understanding the consequences of actions that are taken.
I believe that as we advance as a society, the more complex the national security and cultures of secrecy becomes. I think it directly correlates to the political duress in America. Because our country is so divided the government needs to keep some things secret from the public to ensure safety and security in the U.S. If not it could cause chaos that would create even more of a divide that would cause major issues that could weaken our country.
Will Wright 