Technological utopianism or political realism? Sohrab Ahmari says America must choose

Will Silicon Valley usher in the end of politics as we know it? Many seem to think so, especially with the role that Elon has played in recent months, both in the election and in working with the new Trump administration. However, despite this powerful coalition bringing America back from the brink of destruction, some sage voices are throwing caution to the winds as private power reorganizes itself in preparation for another Trump era.

On “Zero Hour,” Sohrab Ahmari, founder and former editor of Compact and author of the 2023 book "Tyranny Inc.: How Private Power Crushed American Liberty — and What To Do About It," sat down with James Poulos to discuss the future of Silicon Valley in politics, the fall of neoliberalism, and the Trump-Elon coalition.

James Poulos asked him whether his book has become obsolete with the change in administration. Ahmari denied this, saying, “The big structural concerns about coercion and market power are not things that get solved so quickly or easily. I think in some ways the incoming administration will mitigate it.”

Concerning Elon, Ahmari was cautiously optimistic about his future role: “I kind of like a guy who shares some of my views on gender now running one of the key platforms — maybe the most important platform — but we should be a little bit wary of his own ambitions.”

This comes back to the premise of his book, which argues that tyrannical forces have been “privatized” in America: “I think that Elon has no doubt been a factor [in the regime change]. But I think that the fundamental problem of overweening private power remains the same even with Elon being on the conservative side, for now.”

As for the role of technology and Silicon Valley, Ahmari sees Trump as a counterweight to technological inertia: “He’s not going all the way into the idea that technology will obviate politics ... he’s actually like the return of the political in human flesh.”