Davos Agenda

With which is incorporated The Englishman — founded 1821

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In his final address from the Oval Office, President Joe Biden issued a stark warning to the American people about the growing concentration of wealth and power in the United States. His concerns echo the cautionary words of former President Dwight D. Eisenhower, who in 1961 warned against the rising influence of the military-industrial complex. Mr. Biden's focus is on the emergence of a "tech-industrial complex" that he argues is eroding democratic values by manipulating information, stoking division, and enabling the abuse of power. This warning carries a deep resonance in a world where technological giants hold unprecedented sway over both public opinion and policy decisions. Mr. Biden's remarks highlight the tension between the promise of democracy and the reality of oligarchic control. In the face of rising inequality and the growing dominance of a few powerful corporations, democracy risks becoming a hollow shell, where political power is determined not by the will of the people, but by the interests of an elite few. This "tech-industrial complex" is not just a by-product of technological innovation, but a deliberate consolidation of power that is increasingly difficult to challenge. From misinformation campaigns to monopolistic control over personal data, the tech giants are shaping political discourse and public perception in ways that threaten the very fabric of democracy. The concept of an oligarchy in the United States is not new. Over the decades, economic inequality has steadily increased, and the power of corporate America has expanded, often to the detriment of ordinary citizens. Mr. Biden's concern is that this trend will soon culminate in an entrenched oligarchy, where the influence of money and corporate interests dominates the democratic process. The question now is whether American democracy can survive this concentration of power, or if it will fall victim to