Date of Award

2026

Degree Type

Thesis

Degree Name

Master of Arts (MA)

Department

Political Science

First Advisor

Jennifer Forestal

Abstract

This paper analyzes two recently published digital manifestos—the Techno-Optimist Manifesto (TOM) by Marc Andreessen and the Bitcoin Whitepaper (BW) by Satoshi Nakamoto—and how they articulate political visions for the respective rising technologies of artificial intelligence (AI) and cryptocurrency. I apply Laclau and Mouffe’s discursive articulation theory to both manifestos, analyzing how they contribute to the formation of hegemonic ideological visions among the elites of these two technological sectors. In the context of AI elites, TOM transforms an existing Silicon Valley ideology, techno-optimism, into a radical new form of accelerationism, which I coin t/opt. This shift is examined within the context of Sam Altman and Elon Musk, two AI elites who, despite their interpersonal animosity, have both found themselves united in the t/opt ideology. In the context of crypto, BW has crafted a counterhegemonic ideology in the financial sector by attempting to craft its own alternative fiat currency in Bitcoin, an existential threat to traditional, hegemonic currency. Instead of analyzing this manifesto’s unifying qualities within its sector, BW is analyzed for its divisiveness; this is evidenced by the persistent animosity of banking CEO Jamie Dimon toward crypto and his antagonistic relationship with crypto CEO Brian Armstrong. In addition to exploring how these manifestos relate to individual elites within the AI and financial sectors, I also examine the substance of both manifestos to determine the elements—ethos and logos—that make them particularly effective at articulating, thus contributing to their persuasiveness. Though the manifestos differ in their intent and form, they emphasize a need for theorists to understand the power of discourse in establishing political identities, particularly amongst our elite class.

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