The Tech-Fueled Future of Privatized Sovereignty
https://www.techpolicy.press/trumps-gaza-fantasy-and-the-network-state-the-tech-fueled-future-of-privatized-sovereignty/
The Tech-Fueled Future of Privatized Sovereignty
https://www.techpolicy.press/trumps-gaza-fantasy-and-the-network-state-the-tech-fueled-future-of-privatized-sovereignty/
10 Comments
Why do Trump and some of his most fervent tech billionaire backers want to take land and create privately-controlled zones?
Their dystopian visions reflect an ideological project called “The Network State,” which seeks to create private, corporate-controlled cities that operate as “startup nations”—places where democracy, regulations, and taxes won’t apply.
There was a sci-fi TV show called Continuum that showed an extreme version of a future like this. Companies became the government as they grew to be richer than countries and had their own private armies, laws, etc.
Anyone who has ever played Shadowrun is very aware of this concept, and these billionaire tech bros are jacking off to the thought of it.
Beyond just the obvious horrible pay, long hours, and inhumane working conditions that would sure to be the standard in these corporate sovereignties. It can be so much worse. Imagine never even being able to leave your job. Armed squads rounding up any escaped wageslaves and put back on the line at gunpoint. Call in sick? Guess again. Corporate mercs come and drag you out of bed back to the line.
Everyone below the ruling class is essentially a prisoner and a slave.
I guess when we act like serfs we get feudalized…so you’d think people might apply history to the Internet like real life
Ever heard of the disasters called ‘Company Towns’?
‘A company town is a place where all or most of the stores and housing in the town are owned by the same company that is also the main employer. Company towns are often planned with a suite of amenities such as stores, houses of worship, schools, markets, and recreation facilities.’
These have not worked in the past.
They are generally horrible because you’re at the direct whims, rules, and non-existent mercies of a company that controls every facet of your life on-and-off the job.
Not to mention If the primary company experiences hardship, or fails, the economic effect on the entire area can be devastating.
So basically ultra wealthy cartels who live lives of unimaginable privilege, above the law in walled compounds while the rest of society is neglected and starved of resources.
In other words just another third world country.
Snow Crash is feeling more like prophecy at this point.
When we think of company towns, we think of those in the late 1800s, but *Oryx and Crake* by Margaret Atwood is likely their future.
In ‘Murica we already did this. They were called company towns.
The song “sixteen tons” does a pretty decent job at painting a picture.
Horrifying. As stated in another comment, the tech bros are jerking it over the whole idea of having serfs.
Privatized sovereignty is just a fancy word for monarchy or oligarchy.