Technofeudalism is a modern economic system where big technology companies have power similar to feudal lords in the past. Instead of land, these companies control digital platforms, data, and online markets. People and smaller businesses rely on these platforms, just like peasants once relied on feudal lords for land and protection.
Origins of the idea The concept of technofeudalism has been developed by several thinkers who argue that digital capitalism is shifting toward a new kind of economic control. While the term "technofeudalism" was later popularised by Durand (2020) and Varoufakis (2023), its conceptual roots can be traced to Kostakis and Bauwens, whose Network Society and Future Scenarios for a Collaborative Economy (2014) described "netarchical capitalism" as a "new-feudal form of cognitive capitalism" in which centralised platforms enable user cooperation but appropriate all monetised exchange value, leaving the actual creators of value unrewarded. One of the most well-known voices on this topic is Yanis Varoufakis, an economist and former Greek finance minister. He argues that companies like Google, Amazon, Facebook, and Apple do not simply compete in markets—they own and control them, just like feudal lords controlled land in the Middle Ages. French philosopher Cédric Durand also explores this idea in his book Technoféodalisme: Critique de l’économie numérique (2020), where he describes how digital platforms extract wealth from users, workers, and businesses without true competition. He claims that today’s economy is no longer based on traditional capitalism, where businesses compete, but on a system where a few tech giants rule over digital space. These thinkers believe that rather than creating a free and open Internet, digital platforms have built a system where power is concentrated in the hands of a few, making it harder for smaller players to succeed.
Key features Technofeudalism is so called because users of the term perceive similarities between present-day technological systems and medieval feudal systems:
Control over platforms – Large companies own and manage platforms like social media, e-commerce, and cloud computing, deciding who can participate. Dependence on Big Tech – Businesses and workers must follow platform rules to earn money, similar to how peasants depended on lords. Data ownership – Tech companies collect and use personal data, which gives them more power over users. Limited competition – A few companies dominate entire industries, making it hard for smaller businesses to compete.
References
Further reading Durand, Cédric (2024) [2020 in French as Technoféodalisme: Critique de l’économie numérique. Paris: La Découverte]. How Silicon Valley Unleashed Techno-feudalism: The Making of the Digital Economy. Translated by Broder, David. Brooklyn: Verso Books. OL 37583104W. Varoufakis, Yanis (2023). Technofeudalism: What Killed Capitalism. New York City: Vintage Books. OL 34024904W.
See also
Gig economy Gig worker Neo-feudalism Platform capitalism Platform economy Surveillance capitalism Technocapitalism