The Technocracy Movement of the 1930s
9 hours ago
- #AI Ethics
- #Technocracy
- #Social Engineering
- The technocracy movement emerged in the 1920s-30s, advocating for a society led by engineers and technicians to replace liberal capitalism and create abundance through science.
- Technocracy Incorporated, founded by Howard Scott, proposed a centralized 'Technate' across North America with energy-based accounting, predicting social outcomes and dismissing democracy as inferior.
- Modern tech elites, like those in Silicon Valley, unconsciously revive technocratic ideas by using data to predict and influence social behavior, viewing technology as a revolutionary force and often expressing anti-democratic sentiments.
- Jacques Ellul's concept of 'technique' highlights how the drive for efficiency in technology can undermine societal values and autonomy, with today's technocrats advancing progress despite risks like catastrophic AI outcomes.
- While the original movement sought public consent, contemporary technocrats wield capital and lobbying power without democratic mandates, facing public skepticism over their utopian promises and social engineering efforts.