Quote of the day by PayPal co-founder Peter Thiel: 'I no longer believe that freedom and democracy are compatible' a foundational thesis of the new tech elite

Date:
Sat, 27 Jun 2026 22:00:00 +0000

Description:
Technology has marched forward over the last couple of decades at the same time as basic freedoms and rights have been eroded

FULL STORY ======================================================================Copy link Facebook X Whatsapp Reddit Pinterest Flipboard Threads Email Share this article 0 Join the conversation Follow us Add us as a preferred source on Google Newsletter Subscribe to our newsletter Peter Thiel is among the most prominent figures in the technology industry, having co-founded PayPal in the 90s and Palantir a few years later. Although he's since stepped back from running technology companies, he plays an active role in business, finance and indeed in politics. "I remain committed to authentic human freedom as a precondition for the highest good But I must confess that over the last two decades, I have changed radically on the question of how to achieve these goals. Most importantly, I no longer believe that freedom and democracy are compatible." Peter Thiel, April 2009 Minimum government, maximum freedom Writing an essay for the Cato Unbound journal nearly 20 years ago, Thiel outlined his political thinking as one that prioritizes the individual and individual freedoms above the needs or demands of the majority. Quote of the day This article is part of TechRadar Pro's QOTD project to provide an
insight into the minds of the brightest and most recognized figures in the technology industry today and in years gone by. Read the full series here .
In this essay, he explained how he was disillusioned with democratic politics and that it had become an antagonist to "freedom" in the form of free markets and, specifically, the new generation of tech moguls who were in the process of expansion. Latest Videos From Watch full video here:

The piece, which ran in excess of 2,000 words, courted plenty of attention,
as well as controversy, especially given its timing with society still reeling from the 2008 banking crisis, and concerns over the widening wealth divide heightening. Democracy dies in darkness Many incidents and actions in the technology world can be traced back to the ideas at the heart of this essay, for example, the breakdown of press freedoms, specifically in the big tech takeover of the creative industries and journalism (see the Washington Post example). You may like 'Why we must fight Palantir' NymVPN CEO shares his anti-Palantir manifesto Quote of the day by Apple CEO Tim Cook: 'Our own information is being weaponized against us with military efficiency' Quote of the day by Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg: Privacy is no longer a social norm declaring the erosion of social boundaries

Modern tech companies are also increasingly involved in politics, with Elon Musk, for example, increasingly (whether deliberately or inadvertently) using Starlink to wield influence during geopolitical conflicts .

Despite Thiel's proclamation to transcend democratic politics via media such as cyberspace or cryptocurrencies, many tech moguls including the Palantir co-founder have also made concerted efforts to involve themselves in this process. Musk's direct involvement in the second Trump administration is the most prominent example, but Thiel himself has handpicked candidates to stand in elections, including JD Vance . Are you a pro? Subscribe to our newsletter Sign up to the TechRadar Pro newsletter to get all the top news, opinion, features and guidance your business needs to succeed! Contact me with news
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