Muskism represents a new post-neoliberal economic model fusing state and corporate power
Source: Alex Hochuli. "Muskism Is the Specter Stalking Our Present." March 30, 2026. jacobin.com
The Gist
The authors argue that Elon Musk represents a new way of organizing the economy that's replacing free-market capitalism. Instead of companies competing against government or replacing it, Musk's approach makes government dependent on his companies for essential services, creating a hybrid system where corporate and state power merge together.
Conclusion
Elon Musk emblematizes a new economic and social model ('Muskism') that represents a shift from neoliberalism toward state capitalism, characterized by the fusion of corporate and state power rather than their replacement
Premises
- Musk has created a new industrial model that combines mid-century vertical integration with neoliberal organizational methods, bringing production in-house rather than outsourcing
- SpaceX demonstrates 'state symbiosis' - not eliminating government but vassalizing it by becoming an essential monopoly infrastructure provider
- Musk's companies survive on government contracts and state partnerships, making them more resilient to market disruptions than typical tech companies
- Tesla exemplifies 'fortress futurism' - using technology to strengthen self-reliance in an unstable, multipolar world
- Muskism operates through 'financial fabulism' - using extraordinary narratives to drive investment and stock prices in ways that blur material and immaterial value
- This model emerges during a period of geopolitical transition from unipolar liberal order to multipolar competition, similar to the pre-WWI period when Fordism emerged
Assumptions
- Economic models can be meaningfully compared across different historical periods (Fordism vs Muskism)
- Individual entrepreneurs can embody and represent broader systemic changes in capitalism
- The current geopolitical moment represents a fundamental shift requiring new economic arrangements
- State-corporate fusion represents a coherent alternative to both traditional capitalism and socialism
- Musk's business practices are replicable and represent a broader trend rather than unique circumstances