New economic models new forms of state: The rise of the US "surveillance state" (original) (raw)

Robert Cox argues that different periods give rise to different forms of state, reflecting mutually beneficial interdependencies between the state and dominant parts of society, favouring certain forms of economic development over others. This paper applies Cox's analysis of historic blocs and state-society complexes to recent US developments related to the privileging of intellectual property-based firms, and the increasing dependence by states and online firms on ubiquitous surveillance. Following Cox's theoretical framework, it argues that the shared goal of total surveillance of all online activity by leading US Internet companies and the US government, and the related pursuit of wealth creation through the commodification of knowledge is leading to the emergence of a new form of state, the surveillance state. This marriage of a dominant surveillance-and knowledge-based business model by firms such as Google (now Alphabet) – currently the world's most valuable company – with the US state's perception that ubiquitous surveillance and stronger intellectual property rights are in its national interest has the potential to affect significantly the structure of the global political economy.