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Technocracy movement

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Technocracy movement

The technocracy movement was a social movement active in the United States and Canada in the 1930s which favored technocracy as a system of government over representative democracy and partisan politics. Historians associate the movement with engineer Howard Scott's Technical Alliance and Technocracy Incorporated prior to the internal factionalism that dissolved the latter organization during the Second World War. Technocracy was ultimately overshadowed by other proposals for dealing with the crisis of the Great Depression. The technocracy movement proposed replacing partisan politicians and business people with scientists and engineers who had the technical expertise to manage the economy. The movement did not fully aspire to scientocracy. The movement was committed to abstaining from all partisan politics and communist revolution. It gained strength in the 1930s. In 1940, due to opposition to the Second World War, it was banned in Canada. The ban was lifted in 1943 when it was apparent that "Technocracy Inc. was committed to the war effort, proposing a program of total conscription." The movement continued to expand during the remainder of the war, and new sections were formed in Ontario and the Maritime Provinces. The technocracy movement survived into the 21st century and, as of 2013, was continuing to publish a newsletter, maintain a website, and hold member meetings. The Technocracy, Inc. web site later had a post on it stating that the site was under renovation, under new ownership, announcing a "Transition Plan 2016", and an online meeting in April 2021. Smaller groups included the Technical Alliance, the New Machine, and the Utopian Society of America.

Infobox

Abbreviation
Tech Inc.
Continental affiliation
North-America
Founded
January 1933; 92 years ago (1933-01)
Colors
mw- Red Gray
Leader
Justin Lazzara
Slogan
Investigate Technocracy
Headquarters
Huntington Beach, California
Ideology
TechnocracyAmerican–Canadian unionism
Membership
15[a]
Founder
Howard Scott, Marion King Hubbert
Political position
Far-left[citation needed] to Non-political
Split from
Committee on Technocracy

Tables

· Art representations of technocracy › Technocracy Inc.'s general aesthetics
Science Vs. Chaos! By Howard Scott
Original study course by M. King Hubbert
A cluster of different publications by Technocracy Inc.
· Art representations of technocracy › Technocracy Inc.'s general aesthetics
Match cover outside view
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Match cover outside view
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· Art representations of technocracy › Technocrat robots
The Technocrats Magazine
Illustration used in The Technocrats Magazine
A birthday card from the 1930s displaying a technocrat robot. Note that the author's signature is on the card but is seemingly unreadable.
· Art representations of technocracy › Technocrat robots
Article on technocracy published by San Francisco Examiner

References

  1. Technocracy Inc. is a non-profit membership organization with monthly dues of $12 USD, or $120 USD annually
  2. Edwin T. Layton. Book review: The Technocrats, Prophets of Automation, Technology and Culture, vol. 9, no. 2 (April 1968
    https://www.jstor.org/pss/3102180
  3. Journal of the History of Biology
    https://doi.org/10.1007%2FBF00146987
  4. ualberta.ca
    https://discoverarchives.library.ualberta.ca/index.php/technocracy-fonds
  5. Encyclopedia Canadiana
  6. TrendEvents
    https://web.archive.org/web/20210308082738/http://trendevents.herokuapp.com/TrendEvents_2013_11.pdf
  7. Technocracy Inc. - official site
    https://www.technocracyinc.org/
  8. Beverly H. Burris (1993). Technocracy at work State University of New York Press, p. 28.
    https://books.google.com/books?id=I-k0hgtaiCcC&dq=%22Continental+Committee%22+on+Technocracy+Inc.&pg=PA31
  9. William E. Akin (1977). Technocracy and the American Dream: The Technocracy Movement 1900-1941, University of California
  10. Beverly H. Burris (1993). Technocracy at work State University of New York Press, p. 30.
    https://books.google.com/books?id=I-k0hgtaiCcC&dq=%22Continental+Committee%22+on+Technocracy+Inc.&pg=PA31
  11. Beverly H. Burris (1993). Technocracy at work State University of New York Press, p. 32.
    https://books.google.com/books?id=I-k0hgtaiCcC&dq=%22Continental+Committee%22+on+Technocracy+Inc.&pg=PA31
  12. Frank Fischer (1990). Technocracy and the Politics of Expertise, Sage Publications, p. 86.
  13. Reviews in American History
    https://doi.org/10.2307%2F2701484
  14. Washington Post
    https://www.washingtonpost.com/outlook/silicon-valleys-attempts-to-self-police-are-anti-democratic-theyre-also-not-new/2018/08/17/cd44fb22-9b1d-11e8-843b-36e177f3081c_story.html
  15. The Technocrats: Prophets of Automation
  16. American Journal of Economics and Sociology
    https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/abs/10.1111/j.1536-7150.1986.tb01899.x
  17. History of Political Economy
    http://hope.dukejournals.org/cgi/pdf_extract/31/2/255
  18. Frank Fischer (1990). Technocracy and the Politics of Expertise, Sage Publications, p. 84.
  19. Barry Jones (1995, fourth edition). Sleepers, Wake! Technology and the Future of Work, Oxford University Press, p. 214.
  20. What is Technocracy? | McGraw-Hill Publishing Co., LTD
  21. Technocracy and the American Dream: The Technocrat Movement, 1900-1941
    https://archive.org/details/technocracyameri0000akin
  22. Encyclopædia Britannica
    http://www.britannica.com/EBchecked/topic/529596/Howard-Scott
  23. Science, Technology, and National Socialism
    https://books.google.com/books?id=d0QExts2z0IC&dq=Albert+Einstein++and+technocracy&pg=PA5
  24. Science in Russia and the Soviet Union
    https://books.google.com/books?id=m_wPpj64GqMC&dq=General+counsel+of+technocratic+party+russia&pg=PA163
  25. Science in Russia and the Soviet Union
    https://books.google.com/books?id=m_wPpj64GqMC&dq=General+counsel+of+technocratic+party+russia&pg=PA163
  26. Zenovia Sochor: Revolution and Culture:The Bogdanov-Lenin Controversy, Cornell University Press 1988
  27. worldsocialism.org
    https://web.archive.org/web/20110927014144/http://www.worldsocialism.org/spgb/apr07/page10.html
  28. Based off counting from Tech Inc.'s official Facebook page, and Discord server[original research?]
  29. "Questioning of M. King Hubbert, Division of Supply and Resources, before the Board of Economic Warfare"
    https://web.archive.org/web/20190331042749/http://www.hubbertpeak.com/hubbert/Technocracy1943.pdf
  30. William E. Akin (1977). Technocracy and the American Dream: The Technocracy Movement 1900-1941, University of California
  31. William E. Akin (1977). Technocracy and the American Dream: The Technocracy Movement 1900-1941, University of California
  32. William E. Akin (1977). Technocracy and the American Dream: The Technocracy Movement 1900-1941, University of California
  33. William E. Akin (1977). Technocracy and the American Dream: The Technocracy Movement 1900-1941, University of California
  34. Jack Salzman (1986). American studies: an annotated bibliography, Volume 2 p. 1596.
    https://books.google.com/books?id=UPc8AAAAIAAJ&dq=%22technical+alliance%22+scott&pg=PA1596
  35. Howard P. Segal (2005). Technological Utopianism in American Culture Syracuse University Press, p. 123.
    https://books.google.com/books?id=n6RabZ8t48gC&dq=%22thorstein+veblen%22+technocracy+movement&pg=PA121
  36. Harold Loeb (1933). Life in a technocracy: what it might be like p. xv.
    https://books.google.com/books?id=1kvifvNro9MC&dq=Technocracy+book+review+scott&pg=PR13
  37. Howard P. Segal (2005). American studies: an annotated bibliography, Volume 2 p. 1596.
    https://books.google.com/books?id=UPc8AAAAIAAJ&dq=%22technical+alliance%22+scott&pg=PA1596
  38. David E. Nye (1992). Electrifying America: social meanings of a new technology, 1880-1940 pp. 343-344.
    https://books.google.com/books?id=dAElGDvk2yUC&dq=%22technocracy+movement%22+scott&pg=PA343
  39. William E. Akin (1977). Technocracy and the American Dream: The Technocracy Movement 1900-1941, University of California
  40. technocracy.org
    https://web.archive.org/web/20010520151538/http://www.technocracy.org/periodicals/technocracy/a19/hotel-pierre.html
  41. William E. Akin (1977). Technocracy and the American Dream: The Technocracy Movement 1900-1941, University of California
  42. William E. Akin (1977). Technocracy and the American Dream: The Technocracy Movement 1900-1941, University of California
  43. Harold Loeb and Howard P. Segal (1996). Life in a technocracy: what it might be like p. xv.
    https://books.google.com/books?id=1kvifvNro9MC&dq=Technocracy+book+review+scott&pg=PR13
  44. David Adair (1967). The Technocrats 1919-1967: A Case Study of Conflict and Change in a Social Movement
    http://summit.sfu.ca/system/files/iritems1/3437/b13876442.pdf
  45. CBC News
    https://newsinteractives.cbc.ca/longform/technocracy-incorporated-elon-musk/
  46. The Regina Leader-Post
    https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-leader-post-police-hold-technocrat-h/101818960/
  47. The New York Times
    https://www.nytimes.com/2025/04/04/opinion/elon-musk-doge-technocracy.html
  48. David Adair (1967). The Technocrats 1919-1967: A Case Study of Conflict and Change in a Social Movement p. 101.
    http://summit.sfu.ca/system/files/iritems1/3437/b13876442.pdf
  49. David Adair (1967). The Technocrats 1919-1967: A Case Study of Conflict and Change in a Social Movement p. 103.
    http://summit.sfu.ca/system/files/iritems1/3437/b13876442.pdf
  50. David Adair (1967). The Technocrats 1919-1967: A Case Study of Conflict and Change in a Social Movement p. 111.
    http://summit.sfu.ca/system/files/iritems1/3437/b13876442.pdf
  51. "Technocracy Inc"
    https://web.archive.org/web/20090627122344/http://www.technocracy.org/
  52. "The Technocrat - Vol. 3 - No. 4 - September 1937"
    https://archive.org/details/TheTechnocrat-September1937
  53. Henry Elsner, The Technocrats : Prophets of Automation, Syracuse University Press, 1967
  54. "The Energy Certificate." New York: Technocracy Inc., 1938. 22pp (two copies)
    https://archive.org/details/theenergycertifi00unse/page/12/mode/2up
  55. The Words and Wisdom of Howard Scott
    https://archive.org/details/TheWordsAndWisdomOfHowardScott/TheWordsAndWisdomOfHowardScott-Volumes1-2-3/page/n1461/mode/2up?q=computer&view=theater
  56. What is Technocracy
    https://archive.org/details/whatistechnocrac00tech/page/64/mode/2up
  57. Technocracy full presentation
    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5bqPXqYWHlE
  58. "Technocracy '101' " - Ron Miller
    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7GbxKim-LjM
  59. Continentalism: The Mandate Of Survival – 1947
    https://archive.org/details/ContinentalismTheMandateOfSurvival/mode/2up
  60. YouTube
    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LzVXVi7tbzE
  61. Technocracy Inc. – Official Site
    https://www.technocracyinc.org/continental-design/
  62. Technocracy Study Course
    https://archive.org/details/TechnocracyStudyCourse1945/TechnocracyStudyCourse/page/n227/mode/2up
  63. The engineers and the price system
    https://archive.org/details/cu31924013939149/mode/2up
  64. Technocracy and socialism
    https://archive.org/details/TechnocracyAndSocialism/page/n5/mode/2up
  65. www.marxists.org
    https://www.marxists.org/archive/draper/1944/04/technocracy.htm
  66. Technocracy and Marxism
    https://www.marxists.org/archive/foster/1933/technocracy.pdf
  67. www.marxists.org
    https://www.marxists.org/reference/archive/stalin/works/1934/07/23.htm
  68. cbc.ca
    https://www.cbc.ca/player/play/audio/1.6082914
  69. newsinteractives.cbc.ca
    https://newsinteractives.cbc.ca/longform/technocracy-incorporated-elon-musk/
  70. Techno-Fixers: Origins and Implications of Technological Faith
    https://books.google.com/books?id=L_3RDwAAQBAJ
  71. "The Words and Wisdom of Howard Scott"
    https://archive.org/details/TheWordsAndWisdomOfHowardScott/TheWordsAndWisdomOfHowardScott-Volumes1-2-3/page/n529/mode/2up
  72. Technocracy - "Operation Columbia" - 1947
    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RUregwsi_cw
  73. Technocracy - Interview of Howard Scott by William Andrew Swanberg - 1962
    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_m7wZNzymiI
  74. eBay
    https://www.ebay.com/itm/167060726153
  75. eBay
    https://www.ebay.com/itm/275888539371
  76. eBay
    https://www.ebay.com/itm/225648585752?_skw=technocrat+birthdaycard&itmmeta=01JERMEWCW7C8SF4T4CT0951FA&hash=item3489b42c18:g:JPsAAOSw5ORkoIAf&itmprp=enc:AQAJAAAA8HoV3kP08IDx+KZ9MfhVJKkHxIZs84jDZoMZEliKbY9MVGk5ucCgvLoZCAuA0SF4a2wYDlHVI+v/H9uvGcncuBD9bfDjKn4QLVyv3ZQQbEw680PeERuFDbdGzvHmaBkahMua4wbcf7QPPC/MRUcPTEgtaWbZCeILeAlkb7rm8k0wuIsesjFCAxjXMXh+rgQXoKAa6nXl4IgIOEaS69PDK/crbNLQL2ano1VNmDHjTU/ZLNEdsKLRBDXbVqxOUe7ltkLEIIOXMpwrH/Y6kl4kL00DOAlYooch2SV50TMWR9/EEOhlzqHl/w7C10bfpvZl+w==%7Ctkp:Bk9SR77Gu5T2ZA
  77. The Technocrats' Magazine
    https://archive.org/details/the-technocrats-magazine-1933_202011/page/n3/mode/2up
  78. guides.lib.berkeley.edu
    https://guides.lib.berkeley.edu/major-california-newspapers/san-francisco-examiner
  79. "The Shape of Things to Come"
    https://gutenberg.net.au/ebooks03/0301391h.html
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