TAKE FIVE: The state is a necessary Evil

EXCERPT FROM AN ESSAY ON TOTALITARIANISM AND TECHNOLOGICAL DETERMINISM

The rise of the technocratic state
by Azly Rahman


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We talk about ‘technology’ and ‘technological progress’ as if technology is neutral and does not have a life-force breathed into it.

Technologies are artifacts that have politics and are governed by rules of political-economy. Technologies have inert human labour fossilised in them; buried by the historical-materialism of the way we evolve as human beings.

The computer is technology that was developed by the Pentagon. The Internet technology was developed by the Pentagon, the same manner other communication technologies were developed by funding from the Department of Defense.

Advanced technologies have historically been developed through special projects to perfect the technologies of Command, Control, Communications, and Intelligences (C3 I). The Star Wars Program of the current administration, to develop technologies of war in space, a continuation of Ronald Reagan’s Star Wars Program, is being developed by the Pentagon.

What human beings get on earth are technological spin-offs. Computers are spin-offs. The fastest ones are used to operate inter-continental ballistic missiles. They are used to drop cluster bombs and design better daisy cutter bombs.