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EPISODE · Apr 3, 2025 · 28 MIN

The roots of techno-authoritarianism

from Future Tense · host Australian Broadcasting Corporation

Does the spirit of the "Futurist" movement live on today in the likes of Elon Musk and America's intrigue of techno-oligarchs? The Italian poet and fantasist Flippo Tommaso Marinetti almost died in a car crash, and out of that experience was born the "Futurist" movement. It went on to inspire the fascism of Benito Mussolini with an energetic emphasis on disruptive technology, conflict and creating an authoritarian future.GuestsAnnalee Newitz — Journalist and authorDr Jonathan White — Professor of politics, London School of EconomicsFurther informationJonathan White’s article - How Trump and the new right came to ‘own’ the future – while apparently exploiting the past | Jonathan White | The GuardianAnnalee Newitz’s article – How futurism took an abrupt right turn in the 20th century

Episode metadata supplied by the publisher feed · Published Apr 3, 2025

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