Elon Musk and the Danger of Technological Oligarchy in the U.S.

Publicado em 2025-02-12 21:57:12

The Rise of an Unchecked Tycoon

Elon Musk is no longer just a visionary entrepreneur. Over the past few years, he has become a figure with disproportionate power over strategic sectors of the U.S., from space exploration to military communications. His influence extends to defense, artificial intelligence, and even public opinion through his ownership of X (formerly Twitter).

The most alarming aspect of this rise is that it is happening without any effective regulation from the U.S. administration or Congress. This raises a crucial question: Is Musk building a parallel empire, with more power than the U.S. government itself?

The Concentration of Power in Musk’s Hands

Musk controls an impressive array of critical infrastructures and technologies essential to national security:

• Starlink (SpaceX): A global satellite network that has become vital for military operations, communications, and intelligence. Musk has already intervened directly in its use, refusing to allow Ukraine to use the service to attack Russian targets, citing concerns about escalating the conflict.
• SpaceX: The main provider of launches for NASA and the Pentagon. Without SpaceX’s rockets, the U.S. would lose much of its ability to deploy military satellites and strategic missions.
• Tesla and AI: The company leads in autonomous vehicle development and artificial intelligence—technologies with direct implications for mobility and security.
• X/Twitter: The most influential social network in global political discourse, which has been used to amplify far-right narratives and misinformation, while weakening content moderation policies.

This level of power concentration in a single individual is unprecedented in modern U.S. history and poses a direct threat to the country’s democratic principles.

The Complicit Silence of the Government and Congress

The most shocking aspect is not Musk’s growing empire but the passivity of the U.S. administration and Senate in addressing his unchecked power. Several factors explain this inaction:

1. Lack of regulation – The U.S. government has never established effective laws to regulate the influence of big tech in critical sectors.
2. Dependence on Musk’s technology – The Pentagon and NASA rely heavily on SpaceX for strategic missions, making criticism risky.
3. Powerful lobbying – Like other major tech companies, Musk invests millions in political influence to avoid restrictions on his power.
4. Political division – While Trump and Republicans see him as an ally in the fight against the "system," Democrats hesitate to confront him directly.

The consequence of this passivity is clear: a private entrepreneur is accumulating a level of power comparable to that of a state, without being subject to any democratic checks.

A Dystopian Future?

If Musk continues on this trajectory, the U.S. risks becoming hostage to a technological oligarchy, where fundamental decisions for the country will be in the hands of billionaires with no obligation to answer to the public or the government.

Today, Musk already interferes in international conflicts and controls essential infrastructures. Tomorrow, his influence on elections, defense, and global geopolitics could be even greater.

If the U.S. administration does not act swiftly to regulate and limit this unchecked power, the science fiction scenario of a country ruled by a tech elite could soon become an irreversible reality.

Francisco Gonçalves

e-mail: francis.goncalves@gmail.com