@zackbeauchamp.bsky.social's 2022 article is very helpful for understanding Musk and the tech far right. They have an obsession with National Review co-founder James Burnham's book "The Managerial Revolution" and its idea that a "managerial class" is taking power away from capitalists/owners. - ThreadSky

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jonmladd.bsky.social • 15 days ago

@zackbeauchamp.bsky.social's 2022 article is very helpful for understanding Musk and the tech far right. They have an obsession with National Review co-founder James Burnham's book "The Managerial Revolution" and its idea that a "managerial class" is taking power away from capitalists/owners.

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fcburleigh.bsky.social•15 days ago

Good grief -- that old thing? I remember the ideas being savaged in the ferment that was early-'80s social science. IIRC, the denouement was, "Capital won."

jonmladd.bsky.social•15 days ago

To simplify, Burnham's "The Managerial Revolution" argued that the New Deal's liberal democratic system empowered the "managerial class" (essentially the educated middle class) whose values had too much power in business, government, and society in general.

jonmladd.bsky.social•15 days ago

In the book, Burnham argued, that largely as a result, America's post-New Deal political and economic system was inferior to the Nazi system and that America would lose World War II.

The book was famously critiqued by George Orwell. https://www.orwellfoundation.com/the-orwell-foundation/orwell/essays-and-other-works/second-thoughts-on-james-burnham/

julianimperatorus.bsky.social•15 days ago

Judging from that summary, I can think of at least one historical critique to lodge as well. Back me up… anybody with at least a grade school education or has seen any WWII movie ever. 🤣

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