Nuclear Power and the State

Sean Gabb of the Libertarian Alliance asks

whether, in a world without government, there would be many nuclear power stations.

His answer:

I do not think there would be many nuclear power stations in a world without government. Bearing in mind their actual—or just their suspected - dangers, the common law tort of nuisance would prevent any from being built in England. Would you be happy if one were built within 20 miles of your home? Would you knowingly buy property within that sort of radius? I would not—nor would even if they came with safeguards costing ten times what is now spent.

I say, therefore, that nuclear power can only be generated in a territory without much population, and elsewhere only when an enlarged government is able to sweep aside individual complaints and to indemnify the relevant big business interests with legal privilege or financial subsidy.

I would add that virtually every link in the production chain for nuclear power is heavily subsidized by the state, starting with research and development that are are almost entirely state-funded. The actual physical process is likewise subsidized, from the building of roads to the uranium mines on government land, to the disposal of waste. And of course, the above-mentioned subsidy and/or indemnification of liability costs.