Pres. Eisenhower gives dire warning: 'We must guard against the acquisition of unwarranted influence, whether saught or unsaught by the Military Industrial Complex' (Jan. 17, 1961)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8y06NSBBRtY
Most people view the term "Military Industrial Complex" from the view of the primary definition of complex - "consisting of many different and connected parts".
It seems however, that Eisenhower intended that phrase to use the psychoanalytic definition of complex - "a related group of emotionally significant ideas that are completely or partly repressed and that cause psychic conflict leading to abnormal mental states or behavior". More of a dysfunctional mental state of the nation than an actual physical interaction.
It seems to me the two complexes reinforce one another. Something akin to Sinclair's observation: "It is difficult to get a man to understand something when his job depends on not understanding it."
But that is in interesting point that you make. I had never considered it from that angle before. Works either way for me. And even better together. Eisenhower: America's Derrida.
>It seems however, that Eisenhower intended that phrase to use the psychoanalytic definition of complex ...
No, he did not. [1]
While that's certainly an interesting thought as well as a unique angle, nothing I can find suggests that it was his intent.
Moreover, the usage of the term in context of the speech itself is evidence enough:
"In the councils of government, we must guard against the acquisition of unwarranted influence, whether sought or unsought, by the military-industrial complex." [2]
Eisenhower clearly used the term as if it were a concrete entity, not as an abstract reference to a psychiatric state.
It seems however, that Eisenhower intended that phrase to use the psychoanalytic definition of complex - "a related group of emotionally significant ideas that are completely or partly repressed and that cause psychic conflict leading to abnormal mental states or behavior". More of a dysfunctional mental state of the nation than an actual physical interaction.