Behind the News: Technofeudalism? w/ Yanis Varoufakis
Apr 20, 2024
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Yanis Varoufakis discusses technofeudalism, banned in Germany for supporting Palestine. Germany's alignment with Zionism, exploring the evolution of capitalism, shift to cloud capital dominance, rise of Amazon, and parallels between Elon Musk and Thomas Edison in capitalism evolution.
Capitalism has shifted to techno-feudalism with cloud capital extracting global GDP as cloud rents.
US-China tensions revolve around technological advancements, with China's alternative payment systems challenging the dollar's centrality.
Deep dives
The Emergence of Techno-Feudalism
The podcast delves into the concept of techno-feudalism, positing that capitalism has transitioned into something worse. Janus Varafakis, the guest, argues that cloud capital has supplanted traditional capitalism by shifting markets to digital platforms where profits essentially become cloud rents. This shift represents a significant departure from the standard capitalist dynamic, characterized by the accumulation of surplus value through ownership of produced means of production.
Challenges to Traditional Capitalism by Cloud Capital
Cloud capital, exemplified by tech giants like Amazon and Tesla, poses a unique challenge to traditional capitalism. While physical infrastructure underpins cloud capital, such as Microsoft's data centers, their financial foundation lies heavily in state-funded QE money post-2009 bailouts. The convergence of AI, cloud platforms, and financial markets reshapes economic power dynamics, with cloud capital extracting considerable global GDP as cloud rents.
The Role of Cloud Capital in US-China Tensions
The podcast offers insights into US-China tensions centering on technological advancements and the export of capital. Janus highlights China's development of alternative payment systems through cloud-based platforms like WeChat and the digital currency, posing a threat to the dollar's global centrality. The US response, including subsidies for the chip industry and export curbs, reflects concerns about losing control over the international payment system.
Political Influence and Interplay with Cloud Capital
While traditional capitalists engage in political lobbying to protect their interests, cloud capitalists, represented by tech moguls like Jeff Bezos and Elon Musk, operate with a different modus operandi. Cloud algorithms wield substantial power, reshaping behaviors and economic landscapes. The podcast underscores the nuanced relationship between cloud capital, traditional capitalism, and political spheres, shedding light on the evolving power dynamics in the digital age.
Behind the News, hosted by Doug Henwood, covers the worlds of economics and politics and their complex interactions, from the local to the global. Find the archive online: https://www.leftbusinessobserver.com/radio.html
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