What happens when tech companies join forces with anti-Democrats to seize power?
In January 2025, US President Trump created the so-called “Ministry of Government Efficiency” and appointed Elon Musk, the richest man in the world, as a government advisor with broad powers. The subsequent months revealed all too clearly the implications of the Tessel Rule for our society. Musk launched an unprecedented attack on democracy, prematurely firing hundreds of thousands of government employees.The actions of tech leaders, from Musk to investor Peter Thiel to Palantir CEO Alex Karp, are inspired by libertarian extremists and counter-Enlightenment thinkers who see themselves as right-wing “anarcho-capitalists.” They believe that countries should be run like corporations, with CEOs at the top and focusing on the ultimate goal of efficiency.Casting an anxious glance across the Atlantic, it should not be forgotten that Tesla's gigafactory was also approved just outside Berlin, bypassing the usual voting procedures – “at Tesla speed,” as Robert Habeck described it. It is becoming increasingly clear that Tesla's rule extends from Grunheide to Mars; Its horizon is a utopian technological colonization of space.This book combines analyses, criticism, and counter-strategies from political theory, sociology, and art; Academic essays on “Teslocracy” stand alongside essayistic reflections and a series of artistic images.
