Why This Tech Debate Featuring Economist E. Glen Weyl Matters More Than Ever — and Why You Should Tune In

What if the United States were to be governed like a high-speed, efficiency-first tech giant, under a “CEO dictator” (this is hypothetical, of course)?

That provocative question is at the heart of a highly anticipated live debate — and the challenge is given to world-renowned economist E. Glen Weyl.

On Thursday, September 4, 2025, at 7:00 PM ET, at Racket NYC (and also streaming online), Open to Debate,  a nonpartisan, nonprofit organization, will host a can’t-miss face-off: far-right political blogger and software developer Curtis Yarvin argues yes — embrace the streamlined effectiveness of a CEO‑style leadership — while E. Glen Weyl stands firmly and decisively in the no camp.

This will make for some sparks.

Weyl asks the question that tech critics have been asking: “At what cost?” Do we trade democracy’s core values for efficiency? All you need to do is know your history, which has shown that autocracy can easily lead to economic ruin and catastrophic outcomes. Instead, Weyl posits that democracy—messy as it may be—deserves our efforts to strengthen and reinforce, not abandon or neglect.

Weyl’s valued opinion extends well beyond this noted event. As the founder and research lead of Microsoft Research’s Plural Technology Collaboratory, and founder of organizations like the Plurality Institute and the RadicalxChange Foundation, he stands at the intersection of economics, technology, and democratic innovation.

Weyl knows whereof he speaks: he’s perhaps best known as the co‑author (with Eric Posner) of Radical Markets: Uprooting Capitalism and Democracy for a Just Society, an influential work that has been internationally praised and recognized as the Economist Book of the Year. It’s also included among WIRED’s 25 people shaping the next 25 years of technology, and ranked by Bloomberg Businessweek among the 50 most influential people globally.

Why does Weyl’s debate opinion matter? Because it’s not just about being critical; it’s also about being innovative. He pioneered quadratic voting and quadratic funding, fresh frameworks designed to allow people to express their preferences and then allocate resources – democratically. These tools allow access to useful, practical alternatives to the standard “one person, one vote” model, which could enable more directed, responsive governance and allocation for public good.

Weyl’s vision and principled pragmatism will be in full view during the debate. On the stage alongside Yarvin, he’ll argue against the alluring—but dangerous—shortcut away from democratic norms.

Bottom line:

If you care about economics, democracy, civic innovation, or the future of governance in a tech-saturated world, this debate is essential viewing.

Why you should follow or share this post:

• Stay informed about cutting-edge ideas that are disrupting traditional politics.
• Engage alongside academic, tech, and civic leadership.
• Promote thoughtful discourse — not reactionary shortcuts.

Join the conversation. Will cold efficiency win, or will democracy’s complexity prove its greatest strength?

Find out more here.

To schedule E. Glen Weyl for your next speaking event, contact Projectspeaker.

#Democracy #Economics #TechPolicy #RadicalMarkets #OpenToDebate #GlenWeyl #Innovation