Breaking the U.S. isn’t a Bug, It’s the Plan

This is an unsettling time for almost everyone worldwide. The initial months of the Trump administration have shocked many, not merely because of Trump himself but because of the broader, deliberate disruption of both domestic and global norms. However, focusing solely on Trump misses the bigger picture. What we are witnessing is not just political turbulence, it is a historic, global realignment and a slow-motion coup. While it may lack the overt violence traditionally associated with coups, the consequences for ordinary people globally will still be profound and deadly. 

You may not see that the world as we know it is undergoing permanent transformation, but you feel it. You think things don’t make sense. They don’t make sense in the context of the old world order, but they do in the context of establishing a new authoritarian system. 

Today, we stand at a crossroads. The rise of inequality and discontent in America makes this moment ripe for change. There is a growing awareness that the status quo is not working, and people feel a desire for something new. With this unique opening, there is an opportunity for something better. Yet this discontent is being co-opted by a counter elite focused on taking us in a different, darker direction.

To grasp the significance of this moment, why I think we are in a coup, and why there's no returning to the "old normal", we must understand our history and our trajectory.

1. In the 1970s, an ideological revolution was enacted to establish the corporation as the center of American life, also known as neoliberal policies. This was an attempt to undo New Deal policies and progressive movements in the 1960s.

   
   

2. That revolution succeeded over the past five decades, leading to explosive GDP growth that primarily made the wealthiest Americans even wealthier. At the same time, these policies created the most significant wealth inequality we have ever seen at the expense of the global population. In the United States alone, a quarter have no savings at all, almost half can’t handle a $1,000 emergency, and the vast majority feel that they don’t matter in society and that financially, they feel like they are drowning or trapped.
   

3. This is the powder keg. Historical data show that societies with significant wealth inequality and immiseration are ripe for coups and revolutions. They only need a group of counter elites to light the match and lead in a different direction. These times can lead to authoritarianism, bloody revolutions, and occasionally a more democratic society.
   

4. That counter elite has emerged from the tech billionaires like Elon Musk, Peter Thiel, Marc Andreesen, Mark Zuckerberg, and more, whose ideologies have been shaped by Curtis Yarvin and Balajis Srinivasan to establish a new authoritarian ideology of an all-powerful CEO over the new American corporation. Or even further, breaking up the globe into multiple authoritarian corporations. I am not saying they are actively partnering on this work, but the shared ideologies lead them to a similar set of outcomes.
   

5. This is the battle that you see today, and why the dramatic steps to unwind the American government system and post-WWII world order are happening. They don’t make sense in the context of the old world order, but they do in the context of establishing a new style authoritarian system.
   

6. The coup aims to centralize power into the hands of the tech oligarchy composed of the richest men in the world, and seeks to further cement that power through the development and deployment of artificial intelligence. This technology is likely to have a greater, faster impact on global society than the Industrial Revolution or any other societal change that has come before.
   

7. With the small handful of the most wealthy in our society controlling the development of this technology, they will reap the financial rewards and consolidate stronger political powers to direct the path of our global citizens.
   

8. We must act now to chart a different path for the future economic world order and win with a vision focused on dignity, equality and sustainability.
   

9. A dignity-centered economy is a return to New Deal principles and guarantees every person economic security, fair wages, and access to essential services like healthcare, housing, and education as basic human rights, not privileges. It empowers workers through unionization, employee ownership, and co-determination, rejecting profit models built on exploitation, and instead valuing workers as respected stakeholders in pursuit of shared purpose.
   

10. Equity means creating a fair economy by narrowing wealth and opportunity gaps through progressive taxation, targeted investments in marginalized communities, and inclusive decision-making that empowers those historically excluded. A post-neoliberal vision would measure success by well-being and shared prosperity, not just GDP, reorienting policies to uplift those at the bottom and ensure that all people, regardless of race or background, benefit from economic growth.
    

11. Sustainability means building an economy that prioritizes the well-being of both people and the planet, shifting away from extractive practices toward green energy, circular systems, and investments in climate resilience and social stability. Rather than pursuing endless GDP growth, a sustainable economy seeks to meet everyone’s basic needs within ecological limits, creating a just and livable future for all. Climate disasters continuing and increasing is damaging for those without power.

Realignment is already underway. Without a counter-movement capable of offering a compelling alternative to the authoritarian visions of tech oligarchs, their ideology risks becoming embedded in the political and technological infrastructure of our future.

It is time for those of us who hold a vision for a different future to join together and fight to make that real. I would love to hear what you are working on, who is doing exciting work in this space, and how we can better join together to create a movement toward a future with dignity, equality and sustainability.

I am interested in your thoughts on what I have outlined above. What resonated with you, and where do you disagree? Who is working on the alternative political and ideological foundation for the future that benefits all of us rather than the few tech oligarchs? How can we organize the collective action that is needed to push back on this effort?