Morozov revisits Chile’s 1970s “Santiago School” under Allende and the CEPAL era, highlighting how Chileans perceived technology-then and now-as a vehicle of foreign economic and political dominance. They recognized that without local technological sovereignty, countries remained dependents, whether in bananas or cars. Morozov draws a direct line between the 1960s critique of U.S. tech neo-colonialism and today’s confrontation with Big Tech platforms, warning that technological dependency stunts national autonomy and reproduces structural inequalities.
He argues that Chile’s historic emphasis on building a domestic tech and scientific base-opposing multinational corporations and embracing cybernetic planning (like Project Cybersyn)-offers a valuable blueprint for resisting corporate tech hegemony. This past activism shows how political sovereignty and tech infrastructure are inseparable: true autonomy requires local control of data, networks, and digital design. Morozov urges modern societies to reclaim that legacy, opposing digital fiefdoms and forging community-rooted, citizen-led tech ecosystems resistant to Silicon Valley dominance.