GoKawiilEssay argues AI anxiety mirrors mercantilist fears that preceded capitalism
A new essay draws on Joyce Appleby's history of capitalism, 'The Relentless Revolution,' to argue that current fears about artificial intelligence echo the zero-sum 'mercantilist' worldview that dominated economic thinking before market capitalism emerged. The author contends that just as mercantilists believed wealth was fixed and had to be seized through conquest or trade advantage, today's AI skeptics assume intelligence and economic value are similarly finite and must be hoarded or fought over.
GoKawiil's interpretation of the reporting above, not reported fact.
The comparison suggests that framing AI as a threat to be contained, rather than a system that could generate new forms of value, may repeat a historical pattern of underestimating transformative technologies, according to the author. This reframing could influence how policymakers and technologists justify openness versus restriction in AI development, though it remains a speculative analogy rather than an empirical forecast.
- The essay compares AI panic to pre-capitalist 'mercantilist' thinking about fixed, zero-sum wealth.
- It draws on historian Joyce Appleby's account of how capitalism emerged from contingent cultural shifts, not inevitability.
- The argument implies AI could follow a similar path from perceived threat to value-generating system, though this is presented as interpretation, not fact.
The Relentless Revolution by Joyce Appleby — This is the very book driving the article's argument, offering a deep historical account of how capitalism emerged as a contingent cultural invention rather than an inevitability. Reading it firsthand gives great context for understanding the parallels the author draws to today's AI panic. A must-read for anyone interested in economic history and its surprising relevance to modern tech anxieties.
See The Relentless Revolution by Joyce Appleby on Amazon → Affiliate link — we may earn a commission on purchases, at no extra cost to you. Product picked by AI based on this article; it is not a tested recommendation.Source: contraptions.venkateshrao.com — Venkatesh Rao, 2026-10-26
Published there as: “Cognitive Mercantilism: AI panic resembles fears of early capitalism”
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