Cedric Durand

4.4911 learners

In *Techno-feudalism*, Cedric Durand dismantles the myth of Silicon Valley as a self-made tech utopia, tracing its rise to a unique ecosystem of public investment, academic research, and private enterprise. He unpacks the Silicon Valley Consensus—the 21st-century economic ideology that replaced the discredited Washington Consensus, framing tech innovation and entrepreneurship as the path to global prosperity. But Durand reveals the contradictions at its core: startups hailed as innovators evolve into monopolistic giants, 'autonomous' tech jobs mask algorithmic control, and open culture fuels extreme spatial inequality. The book introduces the concept of techno-feudalism, where digital platforms act as modern lords, controlling data and algorithms to extract rent from users, workers, and small businesses. Durand analyzes how this new system reshapes power structures, enables knowledge monopolies, and erodes democratic public spheres, concluding with urgent discussions on antitrust reform and reimagining digital governance to counteract this new form of domination.

John Hirst

4.5503 learners

This concise, engaging history unpacks Europe’s chaotic, world-shaping journey from its three foundational roots—Greek-Roman intellectual legacy, Christian faith, and Germanic warrior culture—to the modern European Union. John Hirst traces how these clashing elements fused into the medieval world, then fractured through the Renaissance, Reformation, Scientific Revolution, and Enlightenment, sparking secularization, political upheaval, and the rise of democracy. He explores feudalism’s evolution into constitutional governance, the Industrial Revolution’s social divides, and the catastrophic world wars that reshaped the continent. Hirst highlights Europe’s unique power fragmentation as the secret to its innovation, while also confronting its dark legacy of nationalism and genocide. Perfect for readers seeking a clear, accessible overview, this book reveals how Europe’s messy, contradictory past created the global systems and ideas we live with today.