The liberal and thoroughly woke publication, The Conversation, reports on a poll that "Large numbers of Americans want a strong, rough, anti-democratic leader." The only takeaway is that American sentiment is swinging toward those who can "just fix stuff" with more authoritarian and Technocratic rule. This is very dangerous Technopopulism, a blending of Technocracy and Populism.
Techno-populism is a very timely observation because it describes much of what is happening in the Western world today. President Trump was elected on a Populist surge but promotes Technocrats to actually make things run.
Italy's Conservative PM Georgia Meloni will likely turn to Technocrats to fill key Cabinet posts. She was swept in on a populist campaign but is shifting to Technopopulism, a dangerous blend of populism and Technocracy. TN has warned about Technopopulism for several years.
TN has warned in recent years on the dangers of Technopopulism, or the merging of Populism with Technocracy. The first authoritative book, Democracy by Disclosure: The Rise of Technopopulism by Mary Graham, visiting fellow at the Brookings Institution, appeared in 2002.
Regarding the pandemic narrative, the author rightly concludes, "The scientists have actually been asked to make essentially political decisions. This has blown the idea that you can’t combine populism and technocracy out of the water."
The British pop rock band Tears for Fears started in 1981. It is doubtful that they knew how Britain would descend into tyranny in 2021 just 40 years later. Nevertheless, their hit song, Everybody Wants To Rule The World, now seems prescient
Prime Minister Boris "Mr. Brexit" Johnson has refined the concept of techno-populism by totally embracing Sustainable Development, aka Technocracy, and pushing radical global warming cutbacks on carbon emissions. If there were any resistance to this move, it is muted by draconian lockdowns over Covid.
Populists leans on Technocrats to "make things work" but it is often a conflicted and tumultuous partnership. Technocracy under Trump has made great strides in 5G, surveillance, Internet of Things, AI, Operation Warp Speed, etc. Whether Technopopulism or liberal Technocracy, Technocrats win in the end.
