By Donald Kendal
“In the future, you’ll own nothing and be happy.” That infamous line from the World Economic Forum (WEF) went viral a few years ago, and for good reasons. It encapsulated a worldview in which everyday people are stripped of their liberty and reduced to “renters” of products and services provided by a ruling elite.
Let me paint an even more chilling possible scenario: In the future, you could be controlled, and you may not even realize it.
For most of human history, authoritarian regimes relied on brute force to control the masses. The stormtroopers pounded on the door, the secret police “disappeared” dissidents, the censorship office destroyed printing presses. These were the very blunt and visible tools of totalitarian control. They were effective, to a degree. But they came at a political cost. When soldiers are in the streets cracking skulls, people notice. Resistance builds.
Today, totalitarianism is taking a new tack. Emerging technologies now allow governments, corporations, and unelected “planners” to enforce their will quietly, efficiently, and nearly invisibly. They may not need jackboots in the streets to enforce their will. Instead, they’ll increasingly use “nudges,” “sustainability initiatives,” and “unbiased” algorithmic decision making.
Controls Are Already in Place
This isn’t speculative. It’s already happening.
Across the United States, the United Kingdom, and other nations, energy companies are rolling out “smart” meters that allow them to monitor, and even cut, power use remotely. In most cases, this is voluntary. Customers can opt in, and your air conditioner will be throttled on hot days to help “save the grid.” But the infrastructure for mandatory rationing is now in place.
A clip on X recently showed Patricia Poppe, CEO of California utility PG&E, speaking at a WEF conference, bragging about how new technology would allow the ability to “manage demand” of residents without their permission. At the time, California’s utility sent residents a text alert requesting they reduce their use of electricity. “That demand management with modern technology can be automated,” said Poppe. “We shouldn’t have to send a text message.”
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Social media companies proudly tout their commitment to “free expression,” but algorithmic throttling is rampant. This is the art of invisible suppression that grabbed headlines under the name “big tech censorship.” Your post doesn’t get banned; it just vanishes from view. This practice, and others, were exposed for all to see with the release of the Twitter Files a couple years ago.
Geofencing and “15-minute cities” offer another layer of control. London and New York City already use cameras and sensors to enforce congestion pricing and “low-emission zones.” This technology allows city officials to dictate when and where people can drive. If you are caught driving across specific zones or streets, you may be subjected to fines.
These controls also extend into health care. Employers and insurers increasingly encourage use of fitness trackers and health apps. Walk enough steps, and you get a discount on your premium. Skip your morning walk, and you may have to pay more. During the COVID-19 pandemic, some countries experimented with digital vaccine passports to determine where you could work, eat, or travel. That “nudge” model is being built into the fabric of modern life.
The Next Wave
Governments across the globe, including the United States, are considering or developing central bank-backed digital currencies (CBDCs). Unlike cash, these can be programmed. In theory, that means your money could be restricted from buying certain goods based on what the ruling class dictates. Many politicians openly call for people to consume less meat, use less gasoline, and buy fewer firearms. Imagine living in a world where your debit card cannot process a purchase because bureaucrats and central planners disapprove of your choices.
China is already taking this concept a step further. Citizens are increasingly judged by a subjective, government-conjured “social credit score.” Citizens with low scores may be barred from buying plane or train tickets, securing loans, or enrolling their children in certain schools.
In the West, we haven’t formalized it at the individual level yet, but environmental, social, and governance (ESG) scores for businesses function in a similar way. Companies are “nudged” toward approved behavior or punished with financial penalties if they don’t play ball.
On the more extreme side of things, two bioethics professors at Western Michigan University drew controversy recently when they published a paper that speculated on whether society could curb meat consumption by spreading a disease that creates an allergic reaction to eating red meat. Now, the professors have claimed this is simply a thought experiment, but the fact that serious people are even talking about this should alarm us all. The ability to manipulate not just our choices, but our biology, is on the horizon.
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As artificial intelligence and self-driving cars become ubiquitous, the potential for centralized control grows exponentially. What if your AI assistant refuses to provide you certain information because it’s deemed “harmful?” What if your car refuses to take you to a political rally? If everyday life runs through AI, everyday life could be controlled by those who control and program AI.
From Jackboots to Algorithms
In the past, authoritarians relied on physical violence. Today, control can be embedded in technology itself. No stormtroopers are needed when your thermostat, bank account, car, or social media feed quietly enforce compliance. That is the genius of soft authoritarianism; it feels normal, even convenient, but it comes at the cost of your freedom.
This future is not inevitable. These technologies can empower individuals, improve economic efficiency, and increase living standards. However, these technologies could also be used by central planners to implement a “soft tyranny,” as coined by Alexis de Tocqueville.
The danger isn’t waking up in a police state. It’s never waking up at all, as freedom erodes quietly without notice. We must resist now, demanding limits and accountability, before algorithms finish the work jackboots once did.
Donald Kendal ([email protected]) is director of the Emerging Issues Center at The Heartland Institute. Follow @EmergingIssuesX.
