‘Capitalism has to become more humane’: a Stanford economist on big tech, power hoarding and...科技寡頭與民主體制的危機
聆聽課程
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#1
Stanford economist Mordecai Kurz has argued that today's tech oligarchs are eroding democratic institutions by concentrating unprecedented monopoly power in their hands.
史丹佛經濟學家莫德凱·庫爾茨主張，當今的科技寡頭正透過將前所未有的壟斷權力集中在手中，來侵蝕民主體制。
#2
In his forthcoming book, Private Power and Democracy's Decline, scheduled for publication on 19 May, Kurz contends that capitalism has entered a perilous phase.
在庫爾茨即將出版的新書《私人權力與民主的衰落》（預計於 5 月 19 日出版）中，他主張資本主義已進入一個危險階段。
#3
He maintains that the current era represents an extreme manifestation of a recurring historical pattern since industrialisation began.
庫爾茨主張，當前時代代表了自工業化開始以來，不斷循環的歷史模式的一種極端表現。
#4
According to Kurz, technological moguls have historically regarded themselves as superior beings destined to shape society.
根據庫爾茨的說法，科技巨頭在歷史上一直將自己視為註定要塑造社會的高等生物。
#5
During the first Gilded Age in the late nineteenth century, industrialists such as Andrew Carnegie and John D Rockefeller distorted social Darwinism to justify their dominance.
在十九世紀末的第一個鍍金時代，安德魯·卡內基和約約翰·D·洛克斐勒等工業家扭曲了社會達爾文主義，以證明其統治地位的正當性。
#6
They invented elaborate theories about human evolution, convinced that nature itself had selected them to wield influence over civilisation.
他們編造了關於人類演化的複雜理論，深信大自然本身選擇了他們來對文明行使影響力。
#7
Kurz drew a striking parallel between those historical figures and contemporary tech power brokers.
庫爾茨在那些歷史人物與當代科技權力經紀人之間畫出了一個引人注目的平行對比。
#8
He noted that Anthropic chief executive Dario Amodei has suggested his artificial intelligence technology possesses a quasi-mystical potential to become a transcendent force for good.
他指出，Anthropic 執行長達里奧·阿莫代曾暗示，他的人工智慧技術擁有一種準神秘的潛力，能成為一種造福社會的超然力量。
#9
Nevertheless, Amodei has also openly acknowledged that such technology could precipitate mass unemployment, raising profound questions about its societal consequences.
儘管如此，阿莫代也公開承認，這類技術可能會引發大規模失業，從而對其社會後果提出深刻的質疑。
#10
Should democracy fail to serve ordinary workers, Kurz cautioned, voters may gravitate towards authoritarian or fascist leaders.
庫爾茨警告說，如果民主制度無法為普通勞工服務，選民可能會轉向威權主義或法西斯領導人。
#11
He emphasised that historical precedent offers grounds for cautious optimism, however.
然而，庫爾茨強調，歷史先例為謹慎的樂觀提供了理由。
#12
During the Great Depression, New Deal reforms successfully curtailed monopoly power and extended vital protections to vulnerable communities.
在經濟大蕭條期間，「新政」改革成功地削減了壟斷力量，並為弱勢社群提供了至關重要的保護。
#13
Were similar structural reforms to be implemented today, capitalism could become more humane without sacrificing its fundamental dynamism, Kurz suggested.
庫爾茨建議，若今日能實施類似的結構性改革，資本主義便能在不犧牲其基本活力的情況下變得更加人道。