Adam Tooze

The fact of the matter is that a very large slice of America, particularly in big cities, loves social democracy. They really like that vision. They really like social insurance. They like the LaGuardia vision of well-managed cities. They like the Wisconsin, Minnesota, California.

The fact of the matter is that a very large slice of America, particularly in big cities, loves social democracy. They really like that vision. They really like social insurance. They like the LaGuardia vision of well-managed cities. They like the Wisconsin, Minnesota, California.

There's lots of different variants of it, but it's essentially recognizable as American social democracy, like in Europe. And the partners of the New Deal Democrats in doing this were the professional managerial class. In other words, folks like us. And I read Trumpianism and the Musk element within it as a double attack, right?

There's lots of different variants of it, but it's essentially recognizable as American social democracy, like in Europe. And the partners of the New Deal Democrats in doing this were the professional managerial class. In other words, folks like us. And I read Trumpianism and the Musk element within it as a double attack, right?

In the name of the working class, which is largely non-existent and not in the room, de facto, their immediate victims are civil servants, public servants in federal government doing things like weather forecasting. By the way, demonized.

In the name of the working class, which is largely non-existent and not in the room, de facto, their immediate victims are civil servants, public servants in federal government doing things like weather forecasting. By the way, demonized.

No, they're not. But in many cases, they're not the working class. They are actually university educated middle class people. American class language is confusing.

No, they're not. But in many cases, they're not the working class. They are actually university educated middle class people. American class language is confusing.

How dare you? So this is like some kind of a racket. Right. And that is how I read this current moment as a double attack, effectively continuing the... undermining of the real conditions for working Americans, but with a novel element of a really no holds barred attack on the PMC, on the professional managerial class.

How dare you? So this is like some kind of a racket. Right. And that is how I read this current moment as a double attack, effectively continuing the... undermining of the real conditions for working Americans, but with a novel element of a really no holds barred attack on the PMC, on the professional managerial class.

And that includes big corporate capital, which has its DEI and its ESG agendas, none of which they're down with. And it's done in the name of a kind of entrepreneurialism, which is Jacksonian, which is about breaking things and seeing what happens next.

And that includes big corporate capital, which has its DEI and its ESG agendas, none of which they're down with. And it's done in the name of a kind of entrepreneurialism, which is Jacksonian, which is about breaking things and seeing what happens next.

But it was wallpaper that was held in place by tens of thousands of people whose job it was and who did believe in it and whose careers were actually owed to it. It's a real thing. And who are real people. There were real people and talented and there were elements of that story that actually worked, right? Affirmative action was a program that actually transformed American society for the better.

But it was wallpaper that was held in place by tens of thousands of people whose job it was and who did believe in it and whose careers were actually owed to it. It's a real thing. And who are real people. There were real people and talented and there were elements of that story that actually worked, right? Affirmative action was a program that actually transformed American society for the better.

And so we can't let go of that. But that I think is the double element that's at work here. And I would agree with you, John, that the vision that someone like Musk holds out is I just don't think we've ever quite seen anything. I go back to Jules Verne and late 19th century sci-fi where you've got some bad villainous business guy who's got an island and a submarine and a rocket.

And so we can't let go of that. But that I think is the double element that's at work here. And I would agree with you, John, that the vision that someone like Musk holds out is I just don't think we've ever quite seen anything. I go back to Jules Verne and late 19th century sci-fi where you've got some bad villainous business guy who's got an island and a submarine and a rocket.

And the crazy thing is he has an island and a submarine and a rocket. We're going to iRobot here. He's got like thousands of satellites. It's insane.

And the crazy thing is he has an island and a submarine and a rocket. We're going to iRobot here. He's got like thousands of satellites. It's insane.

In another way of reading, this would be less manipulative and it would be more optimistic in the sense that these changes are happening in American society. Women are going to college at rates never before seen. They dominate in many parts of education. DEI, as far as they're concerned, is not some sort of concession. It's just companies getting real.

In another way of reading, this would be less manipulative and it would be more optimistic in the sense that these changes are happening in American society. Women are going to college at rates never before seen. They dominate in many parts of education. DEI, as far as they're concerned, is not some sort of concession. It's just companies getting real.