654 



various combinations of tliese.^^ An analysis of 14 cases of congres- 

 sional decisionmaking on technological issues since 1945 has shown 

 that there are available no standards and no systematic procedure for 

 this task. It was observed that there was a need for early identification 

 of technological issues to enable their orderly analysis before political 

 pressures could operate to obscure or bias the findings. 



94 



INTERNATIONAL ASPECTS OF TECHNOLOCxY ASSESSMENT 



Because of the widespread interest in the subject of technology 

 assessment in the United States, it was only to be expected that inter- 

 est in it would go abroad. According to John Lear : 



The technology -assessment idea is * * * being pursued on the international 

 front : in UNESCO, in the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Develop- 

 ment (OECD). in the Council of Europe, and in the North Atlantic Treaty 

 Organization (NATO).*^ 



One of the more perceptive statements on the subject was offered by 

 Anthony Wedgwood Benn, Labour Government Minister of Tech- 

 nology in the United Kingdom. He wrote that it was necessary to 

 "* * * identify the main problems facing society and [to] find ways 

 and means of converting these needs into real demands which can be 

 met best by the use of technology." ^'^ 



In the 14 case studies referred to above, there were five that were 

 primarily international in scope,"^ and another three cases with sub- 

 stantial international implications.**^ An increasing number of tech- 

 nological developments are appearing tliat seem to have international 

 aspects. For example : 



The developed nations in Europe and elsewhere have a special responsibility to 

 the less developed ones. We advise them to industrialize cleanly in order to escape 

 what we are suffering, yiet they turn and ask us why they should handicap their 

 products in the world market while we continue to be dirty. We can do no less 

 than make a determined effort to clean up internationally.*® 



With the appearance of technologies of global impact and influence, 

 the question of international regulation begins to be asked : 



As technology has made the world more a "village world," there has been a 

 growing tendency since the foundation of the United Nations for international 

 bodies to concern themselves with matters . . . which were formerly held to be the 

 exclusive province of a nation-state. It is in the fields of science and technology 



»3 For a summary of some of these proposals, see : Franklin P. Huddle. "Government 

 Technology Assessment : The Role of the Social Sciences." Panel-Round Table at Annual 

 Meeting of the American Political Science Association." October 2, 1970. (Multilith, Science 

 Policy Research Division, Legislative Reference Service, Library of Congress, 1970), 45 

 pages. (70-246 SP.) 



"■' See : House, Committee on Science and Astronautics. "Technical Information for 

 Congress," op. cit., especially pages 519-.521. This reference states that "The hypothesis is 

 this : If an issue can be certified for congressional study at an early point and surveillance 

 maintained over it by skilled people, the process of maturation can occur without con- 

 suming congressional time and attention, until the need for action is manifest. Issues might 

 then be dealt with by the Congress on an orderly time schedule, with less reliance on crash 

 decisionmaking and a reduced frequency of sudden sensational alarms." (Page 519.) 



^'^ John Lear. "Predicting the Consequences of Technology." Saturday Review. (March 

 28, 1970), page 46. . 



»« Anthony Wedgwood Benn. "Technology and the quality of life." Technology plus So- 

 ciety. (May 1970, Vol. 6, No. 1), page 7. 



*' These were : the Test Ban Treaty, the Point IV Program, the Peace Corps, the Thalid- 

 omide Case, and Camelot. 



<"* These were : the control of pesticides, high energy physics, and the Mohole project. 



** Frank Fraser Darling. "Thinking planet-wise." New Scientist, (April 16. 1970), pages 

 106-108. Dr. Darling is a member of the standing Royal Commission on Environmental 

 Pollution of the U.K. 



