Philosophies of Technologies

Introduction to Part 4

Politics is no stranger to technology and is equipped with its own tools. Historically, the latter have been used to meet the needs of empires and monarchies, such as the tablets of the Sumerian empire, which are the first sources of writing and accounting available to us. In ancient times, democracy was a radical exception (though not to the extent of including women), and the republic was a somewhat less rare form of power-sharing and transparency. Along with Sun Tzu’s The Art of War and Machiavelli’s The Prince, the 11th and 16th centuries were true manuals for seizing and retaining power. In the Age of Enlightenment, following Locke, political technology shifted its attention to questions of decision-making legitimacy and the balance of power (Montesquieu, Hume). The main instigator of this moment was constitutional monarchy; the American and French revolutions, as well as Rousseau’s thoughts, with his direct democracy and his legislative capacity, were an emerging but still minor movement. As the democratic foundation was gradually consolidated, the 19th century paved the way for a more rational approach to technical administration (Comte). The 20th century extended the scope of these ideas, and in the wake of Keynes’ thinking, led to the idea of a welfare state, capable of ensuring the well-being of humanity through work and the fair distribution of economic benefits. The technical equipment of states has only grown over the decades, with a host ...