Atom and Society

The object of this colloquium is a thought about the means, for a democracy to adapt the process of decisions and the methods of communication with public opinion in order that the profits derived from atom go on to be larger than the risks. The questions of low doses, the nuclear safety, the underground laboratories for radioactive wastes, are studied in relation with public opinion, the question itself of public opinion is studied, the history of nuclear energy in France through the weapons and the nuclear power plants is evoked and gives an explanation of the situation of nuclear controversy. (N.C.)