Ep 1: A blast in Manhattan

Salvador Allende’s socialist government in Chile sought to reclaim technological sovereignty through Project Cybersyn, an ambitious cybernetic system designed to manage the nationalized economy. Led by a group of radical engineers known as "The Santiago Boys," this project aimed to replace corporate control with democratic, data-driven solidarity. However, the initiative faced relentless sabotage from the CIA and the tech giant ITT, which viewed Allende’s democratic path to socialism as a dangerous geopolitical precedent. By orchestrating economic instability and psychological warfare, these external forces systematically undermined the government’s efforts. The collaboration between Allende and British management consultant Stafford Beer highlights a pivotal attempt to use technology as a tool for liberation rather than repression. Ultimately, this struggle between utopian engineering and geopolitical interference serves as a stark reminder of the political nature of technology and the fragility of democratic visions.