Power, Politics, and Democracy in the Nuclear Age
Zia Mian argues that the danger of nuclear weapons has always been understood—even by the leaders who created them—but they continue to be valued as instruments of power. He reframes nuclear deterrence not as a stable strategy, but as a fragile relationship rooted in threat, coercion, and human psychology. While governments maintain the illusion of rational control through bureaucratic systems, the reality is far more uncertain and dangerous. Despite this, Mian emphasizes that public opinion has shifted decisively against nuclear weapons, and a majority of countries now support prohibition. The challenge, he concludes, is not winning the argument—but transforming that majority into real political power.