Daron Acemoglu Proposes Working-Class Liberal Democracy in New Book

Nobel-winning economist Daron Acemoglu has released a book titled 'What Happened to Liberal Democracy?', which argues that liberal democracy is currently in crisis. He claims the progressive wing of liberalism abandoned the working class in favor of identity politics, becoming obsessed with thought policing and social engineering. This shift, Acemoglu argues, created a disconnect between the political left and the least educated and skilled citizens.

To resolve this crisis, Acemoglu proposes a working-class liberal democracy. This model focuses on improving living standards through economic growth, increased community decision-making, and reduced regulation for vocational trades. He suggests specific policy changes, including holding social media companies accountable as publishers and legislating worker AI to boost productivity in fields like nursing.

His analysis includes an examination of how the American tax code incentivizes automation and credits the prosperity of Nordic countries to deliberate economic reforms enacted in the 1930s. The work also references a 2009 essay by tech billionaire Peter Thiel, who argued that freedom and democracy are no longer compatible.