FBL58: Yanis Varoufakis - Techno-Feudalism & the Death of Capitalism

FBL58: Yanis Varoufakis - Techno-Feudalism & the Death of Capitalism

Author: Singularity University June 13, 2022 Duration: 37:49

This week my guest is Yanis Varoufakis, a Greek economist and politician who was the acting Minister of Finance in Greece during their debt crises in 2015. Since then, he founded the political party Mera25, and now sits in the Greek parliament as a member of the party. Aside from his work in government, Yanis has extensive experience with the role of technology in the economic sphere, which includes researching virtual economies at one of the world’s largest gaming companies, Valve, and he has even put forth plans for blockchain-based payments systems for Greece. He also recently wrote a science fiction novel entitled, Another Now, which challenges readers to "Imagine a world with no banks. No stock market. No tech giants. No billionaires."

While we discuss some larger implications of tech on economic structures, much of our conversation focuses on his concerns for what he calls “Techno Feudalism,” which he describes as the potential death of democratic capitalism at the hands of the tech elite. 

Follow more of Yanis' work at yanisvaroufakis.eu or twitter.com/yanisvaroufakis

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Host: Steven Parton - LinkedIn / Twitter

Music by: Amine el Filali


Hosted by Singularity University, The Singularity Discussion Series is a deep and ongoing conversation about the forces that will define tomorrow. Rather than offering quick tech news, this podcast creates a space for sustained exploration. Each episode features leading thinkers and practitioners who examine exponential technologies like artificial intelligence, biotechnology, blockchain, and quantum computing. The discussions go beyond isolated innovations to focus on their powerful convergence-the point where these fields intersect to reshape everything from global industries and economic models to the fabric of our daily lives. You’ll hear nuanced analysis on both the immediate implications and the long-term trajectories of these changes. The goal is to unpack the breakthroughs that are actively redefining the boundaries of the possible, providing listeners with a clearer, more thoughtful understanding of the complex future we are building together. Tune in for a consistently insightful and forward-looking dialogue that challenges assumptions and illuminates the path ahead.
Author: Language: en-us Episodes: 100

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