“In the councils of government we must guard against the acquisition of unwarranted influence whether sought or unsought by the military-industrial complex”
— Dwight D. Eisenhower
Simplified Meaning:
When leaders make decisions for a country, they must be careful to prevent the military and businesses that supply it from having too much power. If the military and its suppliers gain too much influence, they could push for more wars or defense spending to benefit themselves, rather than what’s best for the people. For example, a weapons company might pressure the government to buy more weapons than necessary, just to make more money. This could lead to wasteful spending or even unnecessary conflict. To avoid this, governments need to carefully balance the needs of national defense with the principle of not letting any one group manipulate decisions unfairly. Keeping this balance ensures that decisions benefit the entire country and not just a powerful few.
