As early as the sixteenth century, proponents of science such as Francis Bacon, a British MP (Member of
Parliament), statesman, and theorist, argued that scientific discovery could be used to support the state. By the
nineteenth century, British industrialists argued that “the New Science” should be used, along with state support, to
develop industry. Some academics argued that science and technology could, indeed should, exist independently, kept
pure, and, isolated. Nonetheless, by the twentieth century industrial nations were practicing “Big Science” in which
massive state-run/funded projects supported scientific exploration, invention, and state power.
With this in mind, write a short Analytical Essay explaining the relationship between science, technology, and the
state. Explain the results and consequences, either positive or negative, that this relationship has produced. Form an argument based this historical relationship. What conclusions can we draw?
