Unelected Leaders

Initiated by:
• Francisco

Details

Videos: ​ 1. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UBmFx5rUglA (12:46) 2. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CEBq_JMev_4 (6:14) 3. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ostBhpOE3ms (4:56) 4. https://www.pbs.org/newshour/show/trump-takes-steps-to-shutter-usaid-and-gives-musk-unprecedented-access-to-federal-systems (8:45) 5. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1-L_oSjy-_s&t=19s (8:52) 6.https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JEikQP8-es0 (7:15) 7. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T8lq4ac_iq4 (22:30) 8: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TuPFELvMD90 (8:48) Reading (optional): 1: https://www.theatlantic.com/ideas/archive/2025/02/doge-civil-servant-purge/681671/ 2: https://www.theatlantic.com/newsletters/archive/2025/02/the-worlds-most-powerful-unelected-bureaucrat/681659/ 3: https://www.theatlantic.com/technology/archive/2025/02/elon-musk-bureaucratic-coup/681559/ 4. https://www.economist.com/leaders/2024/11/21/the-opportunities-and-dangers-for-trumps-disrupter-in-chief Spanish (optional): 1: https://elpais.com/opinion/2025-01-21/la-temible-broligarquia.html 2: https://elpais.com/internacional/2025-02-11/donald-trump-aprueba-un-decreto-junto-a-elon-musk-para-acelerar-los-recortes-en-la-administracion.html Italian (optional): 1: https://www.internazionale.it/magazine/timothy-snyder/2025/02/13/a-washington-e-in-corso-un-colpo-di-stato 2: https://www.internazionale.it/magazine/martine-orange/2024/11/14/il-potere-di-elon-musk Questions: 1. What are the potential benefits and drawbacks of having unelected leaders shape public policy? 2. How do the interests of government and business intersect, and what are the implications for democracy and the public good? 3. What are some strategies for holding powerful actors accountable, and how can citizens and civil society organizations influence policy debates? 4. Can technocratic or expert-led decision-making be compatible with democratic values, and if so, how? 5. How might the balance of power between government, business, and unelected leaders evolve in the future, and what are the implications for democracy and society? 6. Can alternative models of governance or economic organization, such as cooperatives or decentralized systems, provide more equitable and sustainable outcomes? 7. What are some key principles or values that should guide decision-making and policy outcomes in the face of shifting power dynamics and complex global challenges? In Collaboration with Ceit Hustedde (Longtime Member of Buddytree)