"I think you will find scientists that think like you in Germany and Britain, and you will find politicians that think like Weinberger. I think the most bellicose ruling group in the Western world at the moment is the British"

This quote by E. P. Thompson suggests that there is a divide between researchers and politicians in Germany, Britain, and the Western world in basic. Thompson indicates that scientists in Germany and Britain think differently than politicians, such as Weinberger, who is most likely the former United States Secretary of Defense, Caspar Weinberger. Thompson also recommends that the British ruling group is the most bellicose, or aggressive, in the Western world. This might be analyzed as a criticism of the British federal government's foreign policy, which has actually been more hawkish than other Western nations. Thompson's quote indicates that the divide between scientists and political leaders is a significant factor in the Western world's foreign policy choices.