This Machine Kills 281. The Smoking Gun of Techno-Capitalism (ft. Meredith Whittaker)
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Sep 7, 2023 
Meredith Whittaker, a historical analyst, discusses the link between Charles Babbage and plantation logics of control in computing. She also explores the political economy of 'open' AI and the concentration of power in the tech industry. The chapter highlights surveillance, the dominance of big tech, challenges in AI development, and the desire to control people's value.
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Babbage's Link to Plantations
- Charles Babbage's work reveals a direct link between plantation control logics and early computational design.
- His focus on labor division and worker surveillance is evident in his engine designs and writings on industrial management.
Babbage's Utilitarian View
- Babbage's writings reflect a utilitarian view, prioritizing capitalist profits and seeing workers as commodities to control.
- He aimed to redefine exploitative labor as "freedom" by emphasizing contracts and de-skilling.
Babbage's Surveillance Obsession
- Babbage designed surveillance systems into his machines even though they hindered performance, prioritizing control over efficiency.
- His unpopular views were eventually validated, not by merit, but by state intervention supporting capitalist interests.