Aeine Hokmrani

Aeine Hokmrani

The Semiotics of Governance and the Capitalist Economy in the Fourth Wave of the Technological Revolution

Document Type : Original Article

Author
Professor, Department of Political Science, Faculty of Law & Political Science, University of Tehran, Tehran, I.R.Iran
Abstract
The transformation in the means of production affects the nature and structure of the capitalist economy. Capitalist economies in the twenty-first century have been influenced by the third and fourth waves of the technological revolution. Changes in the economic base, understood as technology and its connection with the means of production, affect social and economic life, patterns of citizens’ interactions, and the nature of the state. In this process, the conditions for enhancing the role of major powers in controlling their surrounding environment have emerged, thereby affecting the Westphalian power equation. Artificial intelligence not only transforms the structure of the capitalist economy but also influences the modes and norms of governance. Collectivism is considered one of the indicators of transformation in governance. In the third decade of the twenty-first century, signs of a new power struggle have emerged within societal relations, political structures, and the global economy. Governance in the context of the fourth wave of the technological revolution is based on the principle of the 'inclusive participation equation. Under these conditions, the grounds are created for the sharing of ideas, goals, preferences, and expectations among citizen groups. Given the transformation in the configuration of economic means of production, the following question arises: What are the characteristics of the fourth wave of the technological revolution, and how does it impact governance, the capitalist economy, and the pattern of power exercised by actors in the surrounding environment?. The hypothesis of the article suggests that the fourth wave of the technological revolution has led to structural and procedural changes in the economy, politics, and patterns of actors’ interactions. The assumptions of the article indicate that: firstly, the new form of governance is inherently technological; secondly, fourth-wave technologies exert influence on individual, household, and global economies; thirdly, new institutions emerge to regulate the mechanisms of the economy, culture, and global order; and fourthly, global competition among actors gradually becomes more complex and diverse. In structuring the article, the theoretical framework of the network society and the information age, as proposed by Castells, is employed. According to this theory, any transformation in the means of production leaves its impact on the economy, politics, and the management of public affairs by states and other actors in the global political and economic arena. The methodology of the article is based on 'data analysis and process analysis.
Keywords
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  • Receive Date 10 February 2025
  • Revise Date 17 May 2025
  • Accept Date 15 June 2025
  • Publish Date 22 June 2025