Governmental Assault on Privacy: The War on Terrorism and Rise of the Surveillance State

• In Event: 398 - Section on Marxist Sociology Roundtable Session (one-hour).
  In Refereed Roundtable: Table 06. Government Policy and Social Movements

Abstract

The war on terrorism has included Federal government operations spying on Americans through the monitoring of phone communication, e-mails, and texting. Edward Snowden revealed the presence of the secret surveillance activities. The U.S. government maintains that such programs are necessary to protect citizens from concerted terrorist activities. The paper explores the nature of contemporary government surveillance programs. The history of surveillance is documented and the implications for the protection of citizens from the wanton use of the USA Patriot Act and other such devices are examined. An overall evaluation of probable terrorist threats versus the reality of actual threats against US citizens is examined.

Author

• Lloyd Klein, City University of New York-York College