Swords to ploughshares (or swords to plowshares) is a concept in which military weapon

Weapon

A weapon, arm, or armament is a tool or instrument used with the aim of causing damage or harm to living beings or artificial structures or systems...

s or technologies are converted for peaceful civilian applications.

The phrase originates from the Book of Isaiah, who prophesies of a future where there will be peace amongst all humankind:
The ploughshare

Plowshare

In agriculture, a plowshare is a component of a plow . It is the cutting or leading edge of a moldboard which closely follows the coulter when plowing....

is often used to symbolize creative tools that benefit mankind, as opposed to destructive tools of war, symbolized by the sword

Sword

A sword is a bladed weapon used primarily for cutting or thrusting. The precise definition of the term varies with the historical epoch or the geographical region under consideration...

, a similar sharp metal tool with an arguably opposite use.

In addition to the original Biblical Messianic intent, the expression "beat swords into ploughshares" has been used by disparate social and political groups.

One of the greatest efforts in this vein has been various peace movement

Peace movement

A peace movement is a social movement that seeks to achieve ideals such as the ending of a particular war , minimize inter-human violence in a particular place or type of situation, often linked to the goal of achieving world peace...

 goals. An example might be the destruction of nuclear weapon

Nuclear weapon

A nuclear weapon is an explosive device that derives its destructive force from nuclear reactions, either fission or a combination of fission and fusion. Both reactions release vast quantities of energy from relatively small amounts of matter. The first fission bomb test released the same amount...

s and the use of that technology in the development of power sources. Nuclear fission

Nuclear fission

In nuclear physics and nuclear chemistry, nuclear fission is a nuclear reaction in which the nucleus of an atom splits into smaller parts , often producing free neutrons and photons , and releasing a tremendous amount of energy...

 has been applied to many civilian purposes since its use at Hiroshima and Nagasaki, and nuclear fusion

Nuclear fusion

Nuclear fusion is the process by which two or more atomic nuclei join together, or "fuse", to form a single heavier nucleus. This is usually accompanied by the release or absorption of large quantities of energy...

 requires further research before it can become practical to the same degree.

List of notable cases

Not all of the following examples actually express the idea of the phrase, which stresses the destruction of weapons of war and recycling the materials for peaceful purposes. Although interesting and somewhat related to the concept, these show the dual-use nature of technology

Dual-use technology

Dual-use is a term often used in politics and diplomacy to refer to technology which can be used for both peaceful and military aims. It often refers to the proliferation of nuclear weapons, but that of bioweapons is a major issue as well. The scientific reviews Dual-use is a term often used in...

, which does not always clearly convey the intention of the phrase nor how it is used today.

• Radar
  Radar
  Radar is an object-detection system which uses radio waves to determine the range, altitude, direction, or speed of objects. It can be used to detect aircraft, ships, spacecraft, guided missiles, motor vehicles, weather formations, and terrain. The radar dish or antenna transmits pulses of radio...
  
   was initially developed for detection of incoming bombers, now used in commercial airliners. The microwave oven
  Microwave oven
  A microwave oven is a kitchen appliance that heats food by dielectric heating, using microwave radiation to heat polarized molecules within the food...
  
   is also a consequence of this technology
• Jet engines were developed for fighter craft by Britain and Germany
  Germany
  Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
  
   during the Second World War
• The Space Race
  Space Race
  The Space Race was a mid-to-late 20th century competition between the Soviet Union and the United States for supremacy in space exploration. Between 1957 and 1975, Cold War rivalry between the two nations focused on attaining firsts in space exploration, which were seen as necessary for national...
  
   was based on technology, in particular rocket
  Rocket
  A rocket is a missile, spacecraft, aircraft or other vehicle which obtains thrust from a rocket engine. In all rockets, the exhaust is formed entirely from propellants carried within the rocket before use. Rocket engines work by action and reaction...
  
  s, designed for nuclear warfare
• The first computer
  Computer
  A computer is a programmable machine designed to sequentially and automatically carry out a sequence of arithmetic or logical operations. The particular sequence of operations can be changed readily, allowing the computer to solve more than one kind of problem...
  
  s, Colossus
  Colossus computer
  Not to be confused with the fictional computer of the same name in the movie Colossus: The Forbin Project.Colossus was the world's first electronic, digital, programmable computer. Colossus and its successors were used by British codebreakers to help read encrypted German messages during World War II...
  
   and ENIAC
  ENIAC
  ENIAC was the first general-purpose electronic computer. It was a Turing-complete digital computer capable of being reprogrammed to solve a full range of computing problems....
  
   were developed for codebreaking or the calculation of ballistic trajectories; many of their predecessors were designed to assist in military codebreaking
• Roman road
  Roman road
  The Roman roads were a vital part of the development of the Roman state, from about 500 BC through the expansion during the Roman Republic and the Roman Empire. Roman roads enabled the Romans to move armies and trade goods and to communicate. The Roman road system spanned more than 400,000 km...
  
  s were designed for the rapid transport of troops, but were used by civilians for millennia afterwards
• the Autobahn was originally conceived and put under construction as a means for German artillery to get across Europe during WWII.
• The Global Positioning System
  Global Positioning System
  The Global Positioning System is a space-based global navigation satellite system that provides location and time information in all weather, anywhere on or near the Earth, where there is an unobstructed line of sight to four or more GPS satellites...
  
   (GPS) was developed under the United States Department of Defense
  United States Department of Defense
  The United States Department of Defense is the U.S...
  
   for military navigational purposes. The system has been released for free civilian use, e.g. in land, sea and air navigation
  Navigation
  Navigation is the process of monitoring and controlling the movement of a craft or vehicle from one place to another. It is also the term of art used for the specialized knowledge used by navigators to perform navigation tasks...
  
  , cartography
  Cartography
  Cartography is the study and practice of making maps. Combining science, aesthetics, and technique, cartography builds on the premise that reality can be modeled in ways that communicate spatial information effectively.The fundamental problems of traditional cartography are to:*Set the map's...
  
   and land surveying.
• Cyanoacrylate
  Cyanoacrylate
  Cyanoacrylate is the generic name for cyanoacrylate based fast-acting adhesives such as methyl 2-cyanoacrylate, ethyl-2-cyanoacrylate , and n-butyl cyanoacrylate...
  
   was developed in an attempt to produce synthetic gunsights for airplanes during World War II
  World War II
  World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
  
  , but was too sticky to be useful. It is now commonly sold as 'super glue'.
• Active sonar
  Sonar
  Sonar is a technique that uses sound propagation to navigate, communicate with or detect other vessels...
  
   was developed during World War I
  World War I
  World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
  
   to facilitate the discovery of enemy submarines, which led to medical ultrasonography
  Medical ultrasonography
  Diagnostic sonography is an ultrasound-based diagnostic imaging technique used for visualizing subcutaneous body structures including tendons, muscles, joints, vessels and internal organs for possible pathology or lesions...
  
  .
• Facial tissues such as Kleenex
  Kleenex
  Kleenex is a brand name for a variety of toiletry paper-based products such as facial tissue, bathroom tissue, paper towels, and diapers. The name Kleenex is a registered trademark of Kimberly-Clark Worldwide, Inc. Often used as a genericized trademark, especially in the United States, "Kleenex"...
  
   were originally created while attempting to develop better gas mask
  Gas mask
  A gas mask is a mask put on over the face to protect the wearer from inhaling airborne pollutants and toxic gases. The mask forms a sealed cover over the nose and mouth, but may also cover the eyes and other vulnerable soft tissues of the face. Some gas masks are also respirators, though the word...
  
   filter membranes.
• In several former Soviet republics, large stocks of a rocket fuel component, mélange, (a mixture of nitric acid and nitrogen oxides that would have otherwise posed significant a environmental hazard) were recycled into fertilizer by the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe
  Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe
  The Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe is the world's largest security-oriented intergovernmental organization. Its mandate includes issues such as arms control, human rights, freedom of the press and fair elections...
  
  . http://www.osce.org/yerevan/13521.htmlhttp://www.osce.org/item/18842.html.
• Old M20 recoilless rifle
  M20 recoilless rifle
  The M20 recoilless rifle was a U.S. 75 mm caliber recoilless rifle used during the last months of the Second World War and extensively during the Korean War. It could be fired from an M1917A1 .30 caliber machine gun tripod, or from a vehicle mount, typically a Jeep. Its shaped charge warhead,...
  
  s are being used as part of an avalanche
  Avalanche
  An avalanche is a sudden rapid flow of snow down a slope, occurring when either natural triggers or human activity causes a critical escalating transition from the slow equilibrium evolution of the snow pack. Typically occurring in mountainous terrain, an avalanche can mix air and water with the...
  
   control system used by the U.S. National Park Service
  National Park Service
  The National Park Service is the U.S. federal agency that manages all national parks, many national monuments, and other conservation and historical properties with various title designations...
  
  .
• The Megatons to Megawatts Program
  Megatons to Megawatts Program
  The Megatons to Megawatts Program is the name given to the program that implemented the 1993 United States-Russia nonproliferation agreement to convert high-enriched uranium taken from dismantled Russian nuclear weapons into low-enriched-uranium for nuclear fuel.-Extent of program since 1995:From...
  
   is a joint program between the United States
  United States
  The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
  
   and Russia
  Russia
  Russia or , officially known as both Russia and the Russian Federation , is a country in northern Eurasia. It is a federal semi-presidential republic, comprising 83 federal subjects...
  
   to convert fissile materials in nuclear weapons into nuclear fuel
  Nuclear fuel
  Nuclear fuel is a material that can be 'consumed' by fission or fusion to derive nuclear energy. Nuclear fuels are the most dense sources of energy available...
  
  .

See also

• Operation Plowshare
  Operation Plowshare
  Project Plowshare was the overall United States term for the development of techniques to use nuclear explosives for peaceful construction purposes...
  
  
• Plowshares Movement
  Plowshares Movement
  The Plowshares Movement is an anti-nuclear weapons movement that gained notoriety in the early 1980s when several members damaged government property and were subsequently convicted.-History:...
  
  
• Military budget
  Military budget
  A military budget of an entity, most often a nation or a state, is the budget and financial resources dedicated to raising and maintaining armed forces for that entity. Military budgets reflect how much an entity perceives the likelihood of threats against it, or the amount of aggression it wishes...
  
  

The titls of Lord Ashdown's book covering his time in Bosnia, and providing a template for stabilisation

External links

• Let Us Beat Swords into Plowshares statue at the U.N. or http://www.un.org/events/peace_day99/swords.gif
• Guns Into Plowshares sculpture by Esther & Michael Augsburger, formerly in Judiciary Square in Washington D.C.