Planning the Technate: The Apolitical Politics of the 1930s’ Technocratic Movement in North America and Europe
摘要
This chapter focuses on the Technocratic movement, which was a force to be reckoned with in North America during the early 1930s. The movement’s boom in popularity was largely driven by the dire economic situation at the time, which caused many to doubt the efficiency and legitimacy of both capitalism and democracy. The Technocrats portrayed their political aims as non-political by claiming their ideas were prescribed by technology, which they regarded as both neutral and inherently efficient. They strongly rejected the capitalist “Price System” and advocated the formation of a “Technate”: a state governed by technologists who would act as proxies for technology. This Technate would ensure the most efficient system of production, distribution, and societal organisation across all of North America. The Technocrats’ ideas resonated strongly in the United States and Canada, but they also gathered support in various European countries, inspiring the formation of technocratic groups that championed impersonal, apolitical, and efficient forms of governance. Although the Technocratic movement’s period of prominence was brief, some of its ideas continued to have a lasting impact.