The hidden-government theme unexpectedly surged through UFO documents in the late 1980s
Evidence
The publication of Extra-Terrestrials among Us marked the beginning of a feverish period of UFO conspiracism, from 1986 to 1989. Much of the literature of this period was based on the concept of a secret governing apparatus, unknown and unaccountable, not unlike Andrews’s notion of the CIA as a “government within the government.” The idea of a hidden government received its most signifi cant boost in 1987 with the publication of the so-called MJ-12 papers. MJ-12— sometimes referred to as Magestic-12 or Majic-12—purports to be a document prepared for President Dwight Eisenhower, to which was attached a memo from President Harry Truman to his defense secretary, James Forrestal. Though made public in 1987, MJ-12 had a history that went back to 1984. — Michael Barkun, A Culture of Conspiracy, 438
Categorization
- XREF: connects to: By the late 1980s some ufologists grafted New World Order conspiracy onto UFO belief — Michael Barkun, A Culture of Conspiracy: Apocalyptic…, 412; Ufology’s dark side fused alien narratives with fears of secret government tyranny. — Michael Barkun, A Culture of Conspiracy: Apocalyptic…, 479; UFO conspiracy narratives absorbed right-wing plot motifs without clear influence — Michael Barkun, A Culture of Conspiracy: Apocalyptic…, 457 (+2 more)
Broader Connections
- Ufology’s dark side fused alien narratives with fears of secret government tyranny.
#complicates(0.85) — Michael Barkun, A Culture of Conspiracy, 479 - UFO conspiracy narratives absorbed right-wing plot motifs without clear influence
#responds-to(0.75) — Michael Barkun, A Culture of Conspiracy, 457 - Twentieth-century American conspiracy theories shifted from alien out-groups to the government itself.
#expands(0.72) — Anna Merlan, Republic of Lies, 75