Anne Applebaum: Outside the Rule of Law

Key takeaways

Elon Musk’s unprecedented access to government data represents a significant shift towards ‘extra legality,’ evoking historical autocratic models.
Government employees are facing moral dilemmas as they navigate the pressures of conforming to directives that may undermine the law.
Musk’s actions threaten American democracy and the nation’s global soft power, particularly in humanitarian and democratic initiatives.
The European Union is concerned about the influence of unregulated U.S. tech companies on their political landscapes.
Historical lessons illustrate the danger of conformity under authoritarian pressures and the moral choices required to resist.

Summary

The Rise of Extra Legality and Autocracy

Tim Miller discusses with Anne Applebaum the unsettling emergence of what they term a lawless environment centered around Elon Musk's unprecedented access to the US government. Musk's position as a private contractor with access to sensitive government data without formal confirmation raises serious legal questions. Applebaum warns that we are in a realm of ‘extra legality,’ drawing troubling parallels with historical authoritarian regimes where the law is manipulated to serve the interests of the powerful.

Government Employee Dilemmas

The conversation shifts to the challenges faced by government employees who are caught between following the law and conforming to the new demands imposed by Musk and his associates. Applebaum emphasizes that civil servants now have to navigate moral choices regarding their duties, especially when directives may compromise legal and ethical standards. Staffers fear retaliation if they refuse to comply with orders that breach protocols.

Impact on Democracy and U.S. Image Abroad

In a broad discussion, Applebaum highlights how Musk's actions and the support he receives from government officials threaten the fabric of American democracy and the nation's soft power abroad. The dismantling of institutions like USAID is seen as a catastrophic move that undermines U.S. influence in foreign humanitarian and democratic efforts. The implications are profound, potentially ceding global leadership to authoritarian regimes while weakening democracy.

The European Response to Tech Influence

Miller and Applebaum discuss the European perspective on Musk's activities and the broader influence of U.S. tech companies. Europe is wary of unregulated practices that could undermine democratic processes in their own nations. Musk's interaction with far-right parties in Germany raises questions about the extent of corporate influence on politics and the urgency for regulations that will ensure transparency and adherence to local laws.

Conformity vs. Resistance under Autocratic Pressures

Drawing on historical examples, Applebaum relates how conformity has been a prevalent theme in authoritarian regimes and stresses that the current climate in the U.S. reflects similar pressures. Employees may feel compelled to conform to policies, fearing for their jobs while some carry the moral burden of compliance versus resistance. The conversation concludes with reflections on how these dynamics might affect American civil servants.

Show notes

If the Chinese hacked the U.S. government the way private citizen Elon has, it would be a major act of cyber warfare. And since Elon is a government contractor, he's now in a position to make policy calls that benefit his own companies and hurt his competitors—following the Russian oligarch model. We are in a completely lawless realm, and this is likely to continue until he is stopped. Meanwhile, government employees are being forced to choose between conforming or protecting the public. Plus, Elon is also sabotaging America's soft power and influence in Africa while he and the other tech overlords plot how to derail Europe's effort to regulate them.

Anne Applebaum joins Tim Miller.
show notes