A Central Planner’s Trojan Horse: The Technological Republic

Podcast audio:

In this episode of The ARI Bookshelf, Elan Journo, Mike Mazza, Nikos Sotirakopoulos and Robertas Bakula discuss The Technological Republic, the recent New York Times bestseller by Alexander C. Karp, CEO of Palantir Technologies, and Nicholas W. Zamiska, the company’s head of corporate affairs and legal counsel.

Karp and Zamiska argue that America’s future greatness hinges on a renewed commitment to national industrial policy. They claim that Silicon Valley is failing the nation by prioritizing personal ambition and consumer gratification over government-directed projects. In response, they claim to offer a new model of partnership between the U.S. government and American business.

The discussion covered:

• The plausibility of the book’s arguments;
• How the book is a Trojan Horse for collectivism;
• How the book undermines freedom and promotes central planning;
• How the book rehashes old ideas;
• Why only a free society is worth defending;
• The disturbing metaphysical premises behind the book’s worldview.

The video was recorded on June 2, 2025 and posted on June 5 2025.