The power of virtuality as a challenge for governments: A post-state dystopia

Abstract

This study presumes that the giant technology corporations that dominate the Internet are becoming a historical power factor competing with governments. The so-called netocracy has already reached a level of influencing people that may have a real threat to the survival of governments and states. It analyses info-technology revolution as a trend and phenomenon that shape state power, the “new separation of powers”, which state governments have to face. Netocrats behind internetbased intelligent applications are becoming more efficient and successful power structures than the states. It is dubious whether any national or regional regulation and sanctioning will be able to limit the web’s technology titans’ power and influence over the people. Regarding the states and governments it is vital for the future whether they can move from the physical reality to digital (virtual) space where its citizens are living more intensively and in an increasing number. The socalled “digital state” is not simply a convenience, efficiency or service development issue. The “digital state” is the issue of the future existence of the state. It concludes that as far as netocracy progresses in governing and manipulating net-addictive people, the vision of the end of the history of state as a kind of archetype in state-theoretical thinking is becoming more and more realistic.