Just finished this book by Kate Bingham, a venture capitalist who was head of the UK Vaccine Task Force which invested and got companies to build their supply chains in the country, then was crucified by the media for her efforts. Similar themes to you - gov naivety, lack of technical knowledge, obsession with process over outcome, the optics over the details. I recommend it https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/63124712-the-long-shot

Thank you! 
 

"My most preferred world vis the public sector for the rest of my life is I occasionally send them paperwork and money and they process that paperwork efficiently"

This sounds very Stripe-y to me! 
 

I feel like this answers my question quite well!

Hi Patio11, 

With regards to "nerdy writing on the internet", there seems to be some sort of loose consensus that moving slowly is a policy choice and that there's lots of relatively cheap ways we could improve the lives of many, many people. 

There's also been a parallel convergence within the policy space of the great power of cash benefits, culminating in the COVID relief bills and the fully refundable Child Tax Credit. This follows the same "we can do better" theme as the above consensus, but instead ends up talking about theories of politics. Mainly end up on the Nordic Social Welfare States - best example would probably be Matt Bruenig and his People's Policy Project.

What is curious is that these two themes avoid intermingling. Can I ask you why you think that is? That more tech-optimists don't also promote and campaign for greater social welfare? 

Especially with Stripe, as it is so focused on building extremely robust, invisible, powerful infrastructure. In a way, that could also be seen as effective, egalitarian, statecraft. Obviously, your recent piece is on how the current state of affairs is anything but that.

So why is it that tech-optimists put their efforts into the private space, rather than in public office? Why do you? Is it because you've been so disappointed in the status quo? Do you think any efforts would be futile? Are you suspicious of states?