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cover of episode Are We Now a Broligarchy?

Are We Now a Broligarchy?

2025/1/27
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AI Deep Dive AI Chapters Transcript
People
A
Alexis Madrigal
B
Brooke Harrington
N
Noah Bookbinder
P
Paul Pierson
Topics
Alexis Madrigal: 我关注的是进入和围绕政府的大量财富，以及这对于第二届特朗普政府的道德和行为意味着什么。 Paul Pierson: 当前的财富集中程度是前所未有的，这与经济变化有关，例如金融化和科技巨头的崛起。 Brooke Harrington: 我称他们为“broligarchs”，因为他们与以往的寡头不同，他们公开且积极地推行其政治议程，这不利于民主。 Noah Bookbinder: 《公民联合诉联邦选举委员会案》的裁决导致资金大量涌入美国政治，加剧了当前局面。 Paul Pierson: 顶级富豪的政治捐款高度集中，这将导致政策制定者更关注富豪的利益而非普通民众的利益。 Brooke Harrington: 巨额财富集中与民主社会不相容，这在美国历史上曾被广泛认同，但里根时代后这一观念发生了转变。 Paul Pierson: 美国政治结构使得政治改革极其困难，参议院的冗长辩论规则和最高法院的保守派多数是阻碍改革的两大因素。 Noah Bookbinder: 现有的规则在应对当前巨额财富涌入的情况下已经失效。 Paul Pierson: 特朗普拥有强大的权力，一些富豪并非出于意识形态认同而支持他，而是出于对他的恐惧。 Brooke Harrington: 亿万富翁支持的政党通常是那些不会限制其权力、不会受制于民主的政党。 Noah Bookbinder: 对财富设置上限符合大多数美国人的利益，但由于金钱在政治中的巨大影响力，这不太可能实现。 Brooke Harrington: 如果各国加强合作，对财富征税或设置财富上限是可行的。 Paul Pierson: 拜登政府采取了积极措施，但由于政治制度的限制，效果有限。 Brooke Harrington: “两党都一样”的说法是错误的，民主政治的不完美之处不是放弃参与的理由，而是努力改进的理由。 Noah Bookbinder: 认为富人参与政治会减少其对其他人的依赖的说法是错误的，这实际上是将权力直接交给那些已经最有权力的人。

Deep Dive

Chapters
The show explores the unprecedented concentration of wealth in the Trump administration, with at least 13 billionaires holding positions. Experts discuss the ethical implications and potential impact on American democracy, coining the term "broligarchy" to describe this phenomenon.
  • Trump's administration included at least 13 billionaires with a combined net worth of $383 billion.
  • The inauguration featured a prominent display of billionaire tech leaders, signifying their proximity to power.
  • The extreme concentration of wealth in government raises concerns about ethics and the influence of billionaires on policy decisions.

Shownotes Transcript

If Trump’s nominees are confirmed, his administration could include at least 13 billionaires, collectively worth $383 billion. And at the inauguration, billionaire tech leaders like Jeff Bezos, Elon Musk and Mark Zuckerberg sat front and center signaling their proximity to power. Wealthy people joining the government is not new, but the levels of extreme wealth are unprecedented. So much so that in his farewell address, former President Biden warned that “an oligarchy is taking shape in America of extreme wealth, power and influence that literally threatens our entire democracy.” Pundits have christened this new era a “broligarchy.” We’ll talk about how billionaires in and out of government are impacting the country.

Guests:

**Brooke Harrington, **professor of sociology, Dartmouth College; author, "Offshore: Stealth Wealth and the New Colonialism"

**Paul Pierson, **political science professor, UC Berkeley; co-author, "Let The Eat Tweets: How the Right Rules in an Age of Extreme Inequality"

**Noah Bookbinder, **president, CREW (Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington)