In the new Trump presidency, Elon Musk has gained a reputation as one of the most powerful and contentious powerbrokers. He campaigned alongside Donald Trump throughout the nation and contributed at least US$ 277 million of his own funds to his success.
What does the world’s richest people hope to receive in return from this substantial investment of time and money? Criticism has raised the question of whether Musk’s support for Trump is merely a simple business transaction, with Musk anticipating receiving political favors.
Or does it represent Musk’s personal fairly held social views, and probably personal political ambition?
From left to alt-right
It’s challenging to understand and track how Musk’s social beliefs have changed over time. He’s difficult to pin down, mostly by style.
Musk’s present X supply, for instance, is a bewildering mixture of far-right conspiracy theories about emigration, clips of liberal economist Milton Friedman notice about the dangers of prices, and advertisements for Tesla.
Previously, Musk claims to have been a left-libertarian. He says he voted for Barack Obama in 2008 and 2012, Hillary Clinton in 2016 and Joe Biden in 2020.
Musk claims that as the Democratic party has shifted more to the left over time, giving him a more skewed political outlook than the Democratic party.
Essential to Musk’s political change, at least by his own accounts, is his alienation from his trans child, Vivian Jenna Wilson. After Vivian’s change, Musk claimed she was “dead, killed by the woke thinking virus”. She is very much intact.
He’s since frequently signaled his opposition to trans rights and gender-affirming attention, and diversity, equity and inclusion policies more widely.
However, if the mere presence of a transgender man in his home was enough to elicit a political hegemony, Musk was already on a far-right path.
It makes more sense to understand Musk’s changing politics as part of a much more recent phenomenon known as” the libertarian to alt-right pipeline” than to react to a change in the Democratic Party.
The political technology, explained
Left-wing and right-wing ideologies have previously been the norm.
Left libertarian help monetary policies of limited state, such as cutting taxes and social spending, and restructuring more widely. This is combined with liberal social procedures, such as wedding justice and drug legalization.
By comparison, right-libertarians support the same set of financial plans but hold liberal social landscapes, such as opposing abortion right and celebrating loyalty. The Libertarian Party in America has previously adopted a tense middle ground between the two wires.
The previous century, although, has seen the Libertarian Party, and libertarian more frequently, walk firmly to the right. In particular, some libertarians have played leading jobs in the alt-right activity.
The alt-right or “alternative correct” refers to the new resurgence of far-right social activities opposing diversity, gender equality and diversity, and supporting white patriotism.
The alt-right is a very website movement with its top activists renowned for “edgelording” and “internet trolling,” which is the posting of content that is questionable and provocative to purposefully stoke debate and garner attention.
Though some libertarians have resisted the move of the alt-right, many have been swept along the network, including notable leaders in the action.
Musk Nazi parades
Despite the chaotic posts and Nazi parades, this theoretical discussion can be useful in understanding what Musk’s principles are.
In financial terms, Musk remains a limited-government republican. He advocates lowering fees, lowering government spending, and repealing restrictions, particularly those that restrict his company’s ability to operate.
These objectives are the focus of his formal role as head of the” Department of Government Efficiency” ( also known as DOGE ) in the Trump administration. Musk has suggested that in cutting government spending, he will particularly target diversity, equity and inclusion ( DEI ) initiatives. This is the alt-right impact on screen.
Alt-right tastes are most noticeable, yet, in Musk’s net image. Musk has purposefully stoked discussion on X by promoting and engaging with light nationalists and racist conspiracy theories.
For instance, he has strongly spoken to far-right figures who support the racist” Great Replacement theory.” According to this theory, Jews are urging mass movement to the world’s north as part of a deliberate effort to eradicate the white race.
More late, Musk has endorsed the far-right in Germany. Additionally, he’s shared clips from well-known white supremacists that detail the prejudiced” Muslim grooming groups” crime theory in the United Kingdom.
Whether Musk really believes these absurd prejudiced conspiracy theories is, in many ways, useless.
Instead, Musk’s public comments are better understood as reflecting scientist Harry Frankfurt’s popular concept of “bullshit“. For Frankfurt, “bullshit” refers to statements made to impress or enrage, in which the speaker is merely uninterested in whether or not the statement is accurate.
Much of Musk’s online persona is part of a deliberate alt-right populist strategy to stoke controversy, upset” the left”, and then claim to be a persecuted victim when criticised.
Theory vs practice
Though Musk’s public statements might fit nicely into contemporary libertarianism, there are always contradictions when putting ideology into practice.
For example, despite Musk’s oft-stated preference for limited government, it’s well documented that his companies have received extensive subsidies and support from various governments.
Under a president who is primarily transactional, like Trump, Musk anticipates that this special treatment will continue.
The vexed issue of immigration also presents some contradictions.
Both Trump and Musk repeatedly criticized immigration to the US throughout the campaign. According to Musk, the far-right Great Replacement theory’s themes were reversed when Musk claimed that Democrats had purposefully “replace” the country’s existing electorate with” compliant illegals.”
Musk has argued that Trump should continue to have types of skilled immigration, such as H1-B visas, after the election. This angered more explicit white supremacists, such as Trump advisor Laura Loomer.
Musk’s motives in arguing for the visas are not humanitarian. Temporary workers can enter the country for up to six years with H1-B visas, which leave them entirely dependent on the sponsoring organization. It’s a situation some have called “indentured servitude“.
These visas have been extensively used in the technology sector, including in businesses controlled by both Trump and Musk.
An unsteady alliance
What else can we anticipate from Musk now that he has both political standing and influence?
Musk claimed that Musk’s plan to use DOGE to reduce the US budget by$ 2 trillion would represent a revolutionary change in government. It also seems highly unlikely.
Expect Musk to concentrate instead on provoking debate by reversing DEI initiatives and other politically sensitive initiatives, like those that promote women’s reproductive rights.
Musk will undoubtedly make use of his political influence to protect the interests of his businesses. Following Trump’s re-election, Tesla’s shares reached record highs, suggesting that Musk will be a significant financial beneficiary of the second Trump administration.
In the end, Musk will undoubtedly make the most of his new position to keep himself visible in the general public. This crucial point could cause Musk to conflict with Trump, who is an expert in shaping the media cycle.
Apparently, Musk and Vivek Ramaswamy have already got into a fight, and they will no longer co-lead DOGE together.
It’s still to be seen how stable the partnership between Trump and Musk is, and whether the two billionaires ‘ egos and goals can still coexist.
If the alliance persists, it will play a significant role in shaping what many people refer to as the “new gilded age” of political corruption and rising inequality.
Henry Maher is lecturer in politics, Department of Government and International Relations, University of Sydney
This article was republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. Read the original article.