THE CURRENT order is disintegrating. You can sense it in the air – whether you are in the United States or the United Kingdom, the systems that once united us are collapsing under their own weight. This is not merely a hunch; it is a reality we can no longer ignore. Overgrown bureaucracies, soaring debt, unchecked immigration, and cultural decay masquerading as progress have driven us to the brink. We can no longer afford this, not financially, socially, or morally. Time is running out.
I am convinced that men like Elon Musk, Marc Andreessen, Peter Thiel and others recognise this as well. These men are not merely billionaires with inflated egos; they are innovators who have transformed industries with remarkable speed and scale. Instead of staying passive as the West struggles, they are actively supporting a new US administration, recognising that their businesses, wealth, and futures are at stake in an overburdened system. They desire a society that operates efficiently, not one mired in debt and cultural distractions. Moreover, they are not the type to wait idly; they take decisive action.
The unsustainable situation we are facing
The numbers do not lie. As of early 2025, the US national debt stands at $34trillion, with interest payments exceeding defence spending. The UK’s debt-to-GDP ratio approaches 100 per cent, creating a fiscal stranglehold on an increasingly fragile welfare state. Every dollar or pound allocated to servicing debt is a dollar or pound not invested in building roads, schools, or factories. This represents a gradual erosion of resources, and we are running out of solutions.
Then there is immigration, a crisis that surpasses even the challenges faced by the NHS here in the UK. Net migration reached 672,000 in 2023, and projections for 2025 indicate no signs of slowing, whether legal or otherwise. In fact, over a ten-year period (2022 to 2032), projections indicate a population increase of 5million, entirely driven by immigration. In the meantime, housing is under immense pressure, the NHS can’t cope, and wages are stagnating, all while traditional communities fracture under the strain.
In the United States, the southern border has become a floodgate. Millions have crossed since 2021, overwhelming cities like Chicago and New York with costs they cannot sustain. This situation does not represent progress; rather, it reflects a state of paralysis that undermines the social fabric upon which innovators like Musk, Andreessen, and Thiel depend to thrive.
Now add in the cultural absurdities, the ‘woke’ excesses and distractions from reality. A system fixated on policing language and pursuing utopian fantasies has lost sight of what sustains societies: shared purpose, competence and coherence.
Why these men recognise the stakes
Musk, Andreessen, and Thiel are systems thinkers. Musk’s empire, comprising electric cars, rockets, media and artificial intelligence, depends on stable supply chains and healthy labour markets, rather than chaos resulting from unchecked inflows. Andreessen recognises that innovation stagnates when housing costs drive away talent or when social trust erodes. Thiel has warned of stagnation for decades, a situation now exacerbated by porous borders and cultures lacking cohesion. Their wealth is not secure in a crumbling West: Tesla’s factories cannot operate on a failing grid, Andreessen’s startups cannot scale in a resentful environment, and Thiel’s data ventures cannot thrive amid societal fragmentation.
They are pragmatists, not altruists. A functioning society is essential, and they are taking action to ensure its stability. Musk’s shift towards Trump’s sphere, advocating for a leaner government through DOGE, underscores his commitment to maintaining order. Andreessen’s essays lament the stagnation of technocracy, calling for a renewed focus on construction, an endeavour made challenging by immigration that overwhelms existing infrastructure. Andreessen’s concept of ‘effective accelerationism’ promotes the idea of outpacing collapse, which involves controlling who is included in the system. Thiel’s financial support for disruptors like J D Vance and cryptocurrency innovators indicates an effort to redefine the rules for a system that is approaching its limits.
It’s a blitzkrieg approach. Trump’s planning for his second term was not merely a spectacle; it involved a diverse group of intelligent individuals strategising for a swift offensive in the initial weeks and months. We see that unfolding now, resulting in serious pearl-clutching by incumbents desperately trying to prop up the not-fit-for-purpose post-war open society consensus.
Winning an election, however, is not enough. Trump learned that in 2016. Gaining access to government does not equate to power if you do not dismantle the leviathan beneath: the administrative state, the regulatory labyrinth, and the public-sector behemoths that dictate outcomes. It requires a focused, detailed plan and individuals who will execute it: ruthless, competent, and unswayed by the desire for approval. Boris Johnson’s box-office appeal in the UK diminished due to the abandonment of such a strategy; charisma without substance ultimately leads to disappointment.
The UK’s challenge: Can Reform or the Conservatives rise to the occasion?
The UK is closely observing the US, but our own potential reset appears to be faltering. The rise of Reform UK taps into public frustration and anger over immigration and fatigue with Net Zero policies; however, there is a ‘lads down the pub’ vibe that lacks sophistication.
The chaotic ousting of Rupert Lowe MP, who was stripped of the whip amid allegations of bullying and threats, looks more like a purge for daring to critique Farage, further deepening the turmoil.
While Nigel Farage’s influence and legacy is significant, I am sceptical that he can achieve what is necessary. Prioritising loyalty over competency (a major red flag) will not transform a country. Imagine this on a larger scale: a government of compliant friends, rather than strategists, struggling to reform the civil service or address regulatory decay. Many within the Reform base recognise this; radical change requires intelligence, relentless focus, and serious individuals, not merely nostalgia for ‘the good old days’.
It is achievable, but it presents significant challenges. Reform UK or the Conservative Party must cultivate a broader pool of talent to develop strategies for dismantling or substantially reforming the administrative state. They need to move beyond merely appealing to the public with superficial talking points. Trump 2.0 offers a blueprint: a plan executed swiftly by individuals who remain steadfast. The UK requires its own lightning war otherwise, whoever wins the next election will merely hold the position without genuinely exercising power.
The alternative is collapse
Do nothing, and what remains? More debt, increased division, and further decline. The United States risks a serious financial crisis if trust erodes. The United Kingdom could falter under the weight of its own openness, becoming a mere shadow of its former glories. Musk, Andreessen, and Thiel are not saviours; they cannot resolve all our issues. However, they serve as a signal: the old order is finished, and those who can effect change are restless. We cannot sustain this chaos much longer, financially, demographically, or existentially. They are aware of this. Are we?
