Pepper Culpepper @pculpepper.bsky.social · 04/10/2026Fair point on scale, and well supported in the article. But big business used to be popular. Declining trust in big business—which follows low trust in major societal institutions—also has specific roots in scale of corporations being used to quash competition and invest in political protection. 100
Pepper Culpepper @pculpepper.bsky.social · 04/10/2026@tejparikh.ft.com argues that the public gives big companies a bad rap despite their being motors of innovation and productivity growth. The public sees big companies swallow small ones to avoid competition and pour huge sums into lobbying to protect themselves. Does the public lack a balanced view? 110
Pepper Culpepper @pculpepper.bsky.social · 04/10/2026I respectfully think that American history is littered with examples scandal driven political change, from the progressive era challenges to Standard Oil (broken up) to the modern day reactions to Enron (corp gov reform) and financial crisis (Dodd Frank). I’ve even got a book on this 😉 100
Pepper Culpepper @pculpepper.bsky.social · 03/10/2026It is undeniable that we are likely to see dramatic regulatory change is post-disaster when AI labs are culpable. That's how regulation often happens. Super-interesting interview by @cwarzel.bsky.social with Zack Korman on cybersecurity and the answers lying in plain sight. 2115
Reposted by Pepper CulpepperClaes de Vreese @claesdevreese.bsky.social · 27/09/2026AI companies, not agents go rogue. AI companies produce models and services. AI companies are responsible for their own products. www.theguardian.com/technology/2...theguardian.comOpenAI halts training of latest models as reports mount of AI agents going rogueDecision follows disclosures that OpenAI agents searching government websites had acted in unexpected ways 42613
Pepper Culpepper @pculpepper.bsky.social · 24/09/2026Are there questions that make you dumb enough to be disqualified as a serious pollster? 030
Pepper Culpepper @pculpepper.bsky.social · 17/09/2026Enjoyed talking to John Torpey on the International Horizons podcast about public opinion and its relation to the climactic scene from the movie Network: “I’m mad as hell and I’m not going to take it anymore”.newbooksnetwork.comBillionaire Backlash - New Books Network 031
Pepper Culpepper @pculpepper.bsky.social · 15/09/2026It was good to chat with Chris Caurla from @deutschewelle.dw.com about whether the tide is turning on billionaires and big corporations in politics. A lot of different opinions in the comments.youtube.comIs the tide turning on billionaires? | DW NewsYouTube video by DW News 042
Reposted by Pepper Culpeppertbluvoter❌👑 @tbluvoter.bsky.social · 12/09/2026We need to reclaim the narrative & not give in to hopelessness! ⬇️ Is the tide turning on billionaires? Two political scientists argue in Billionaire Backlash that these scandals could be what saves democracy. How? We asked co-author @pculpepper.bsky.social. youtu.be/LZ9fq7ct4fg?...youtu.beIs the tide turning on billionaires? | DW NewsYouTube video by DW News 112
Pepper Culpepper @pculpepper.bsky.social · 06/09/2026We Can’t Know Our A.I. Future if We Don’t Study It www.nytimes.com/2026/09/06/o...nytimes.comOpinion | We Can’t Know Our A.I. Future if We Don’t Study ItJust as A.I. is poised to change the world, we’re losing our best ways of studying what that change will look like. 020
Reposted by Pepper CulpepperInstitute for Public Policy Research @ippr.org · 26/08/2026Almost 80% of Britain’s rising fiscal costs will come from ageing by 2075, dwarfing the pressures from defence spending, net zero and lower migration. We should rebalance taxes away from work and towards wealth, says @benansell.bsky.social. Read more here: www.ippr.org/articles/tax... 24528
Reposted by Pepper CulpepperBastian Becker @beckerbastian.bsky.social · 24/08/2026✊Can populism be a force for good? @pculpepper.bsky.social and @taekulee.bsky.social argue that it can! 👇 173
Pepper Culpepper @pculpepper.bsky.social · 19/08/2026I was delighted to speak with Tavis Smiley today on his KBLA 1580 radio show about when populism can be good and what these primary victories suggest about the rich vein of public opinion around broader issues of economic populism, not just DSA affiliation. Our conversation is from 1.06.15-1.59.30.youtube.comMayor Cavalier Johnson, Mikey Epps, Melissa Hernandez, Oliver Gilbert, Pepper Culpepper, Lynn SweetYouTube video by KBLA 1580 031
Reposted by Pepper CulpepperAdam Bonica @adambonica.bsky.social · 17/08/2026I wrote this because most journalists facing this pressure can’t. The paper we count on to check authoritarianism spiked an investigation into the Democratic Party because the party’s lawyers threatened to sue. Holding authoritarians accountable starts with holding your own side accountable.data4democracy.substack.comWith Fear and FavorInstitutions don’t have courage. They have incentives. 26633226
Reposted by Pepper CulpepperAlex Hertel-Fernandez @awhf.bsky.social · 31/07/2026Over the past year, Sam Berger, Sophie Jacobson, and I have been thinking about how a federal rebuilding must center power-shifting, building civil society power for democracy. In @donmoyn.bsky.social's Substack we wrote up our lessons; we're excited to share what we're learning! 1/ 36626
Reposted by Pepper CulpepperSuper Shoe @shoe.bsky.social · 30/07/2026But FIFA delved too greedily and too deep 1019326
Pepper Culpepper @pculpepper.bsky.social · 29/07/2026Beach reading for political junkies 👍ash.harvard.eduTerms of Engagement Summer Reading List – Ash Center 011
Pepper Culpepper @pculpepper.bsky.social · 26/07/2026“There’s the people who want OpenAI and Anthropic to own everything, and then there’s everybody else, including customers.”nytimes.comSilicon Valley Splits Over Closing the Borders to Chinese A.I.Anthropic and OpenAI are clashing with the rest of the tech industry over whether “open-source” models from China should be freely available or restricted. 000
Pepper Culpepper @pculpepper.bsky.social · 22/07/2026OpenAI to merge with Hugging Face. New concern to be called Skynet. 010
Reposted by Pepper CulpepperRobin Wigglesworth @robinwigglesworth.ft.com · 19/07/2026Ironic that Spain, which famously doesn’t spend enough on defence, won the World Cup by only letting in a single goal all tournament. 211213
Pepper Culpepper @pculpepper.bsky.social · 19/07/2026Scylla and Charybdis indeed. I hope your dog at least remembered you. 021
Reposted by Pepper CulpepperLeonardo Carella @leonardocarella.bsky.social · 16/07/2026A forensic review of how the bottom fell out for Starmer - really worth your time. My reading of the polls is that the Winter Fuel Payment cut is a major flashpoint, bigger than thought at the time and than other crisis moments (Mandelson, riots, farmers, island of strangers, Polanski, Gaza). 3106
Pepper Culpepper @pculpepper.bsky.social · 16/07/2026Looks like we might need a social media ban for parents. 023
Pepper Culpepper @pculpepper.bsky.social · 13/07/2026Enjoyed talking with Joy LaClaire on Forthright Radio about the role of political elites vs fossil fuel companies in shaping American public opinion, among other things.forthright.mediaPepper Culpepper BILLIONAIRE BACKLASH: THE AGE OF CORPORATE SCANDAL AND HOW IT COULD SAVE DEMOCRACYPepper Culpepper is Blavatnik Professor of Government and Public Policy, and Vice Dean for Academic Affairs at the Blavatnik School of Government, and a Professorial Fellow at Nuffield College at t… 021
Pepper Culpepper @pculpepper.bsky.social · 09/07/2026As both a democracy defender and a practical pessimist, it is clear that I am no fun at parties. @soumayakeynes.ft.com trenchant analysis of the identity politics of billionaire taxes. 012
Pepper Culpepper @pculpepper.bsky.social · 07/07/2026 Comedy gold on the SpaceX business model 🤣🤣🤣. Coming soon to a pension plan someone you love depends on. 000
Reposted by Pepper CulpepperNieman Lab @niemanlab.org · 07/07/2026Rebuild Local News’ Matt Pearce is trying to help journalists and lawmakers speak the same language www.niemanlab.org/2026/07/rebu...niemanlab.orgRebuild Local News’ Matt Pearce is trying to help journalists and lawmakers speak the same language"In the local journalism world, we are not super-duper experts at the political process." 064
Pepper Culpepper @pculpepper.bsky.social · 07/07/2026This may be the wake-up call we’ve been waiting for. 010
Reposted by Pepper CulpepperJae-Hee Jung @jaeheejung.bsky.social · 06/07/2026I had the pleasure of speaking on @andyluttrell.bsky.social's fantastic podcast, Opinion Science.🎙️ We discuss my book on moral rhetoric & studies of morality in political science and psychology more generally. Andy's podcast is a fabulous source for learning and entertainment. I highly recommend! 👏opinionsciencepodcast.comEpisode 118: Making Moral Arguments with Jae-Hee Jung – Opinion Science Podcast 1134
Pepper Culpepper @pculpepper.bsky.social · 03/07/2026It’s not exactly Profiles in Courage is it? Good on @guychazan.bsky.social and @financialtimes.com for putting things on perspective. 000
Pepper Culpepper @pculpepper.bsky.social · 03/07/2026Interesting discussion about responsibility and accountability of elites at the Rencontres Économiques, in which I argued that we on the panel were also part of the elite and thus the problem. I may have mentioned good populism as well. #reaix 000
Pepper Culpepper @pculpepper.bsky.social · 02/07/2026At the Rencontres Économiques in Aix, where we finished today with Kyle Eastwood (double bass) and his band playing an homage to the music in his dad’s films. Imagine telling Dirty Harry you think it’s not bedtime.‘You’ve gotta ask yourself a question. Do I feel lucky? Well do ya, punk?’ #reaix 000
Reposted by Pepper CulpepperCiaran Martin @ciaranm.bsky.social · 02/07/2026My friend, mentor and former boss Gus O’Donnell & I wrote a piece for The House magazine on the us of WhatsApp etc in government. Don’t expect everyone to agree with it but we hope you find it at least interesting and thought provoking www.politicshome.com/opinion/arti...politicshome.comMinisters must be able to let off steam – forcing full WhatsApp disclosure is unwiseThe Mandelson files reignited the debate over what to do about the government being run on WhatsApp, which allows disappearing messages and stolen ... 83212
Pepper Culpepper @pculpepper.bsky.social · 01/07/2026So President Trump is a free trader after all. 020
Pepper Culpepper @pculpepper.bsky.social · 01/07/2026The job of the media is to report news so that people can know what’s going on. FT and others leading with the $500 mn figure on crypto tokens while Reuters leading with $1.4 bn total income last year. Both staggering, but the varying of numbers like this makes it hard for the public to focus on. 100
Reposted by Pepper CulpepperZach Everson @zacheverson.com · 30/06/2026🚨 NEW: "Donald Trump reported more than $1.4 billion in income from his family’s crypto ventures last year, showing how he now earns most of his income from digital assets that have benefited from his policies" Tom Bergin and Koh Gui Qing for @reuters.comreuters.comTrump reports more than $1.4 billion in income from crypto venturesU.S. President Donald Trump reported more than $1.4 billion in income from his family’s crypto ventures last year, showing how he now earns most of his income from digital assets that have benefite... 45686397
Reposted by Pepper CulpepperNuffield College Library @nuffieldlibrary.bsky.social · 30/06/2026Pepper Culpepper says good populism can save democracy democracyparadox.com/2026/06/24/p... @nuffieldcollege.bsky.social Fellow @pculpepper.bsky.social appeared on this episode of Democracy Paradox podcastdemocracyparadox.comPepper Culpepper Says Good Populism Can Save Democracy - Democracy ParadoxPepper Culpepper says good populism targets billionaires, not immigrants, and could help save democracy from corporate scandal. 002
Reposted by Pepper CulpepperBenjamin Braun @benbraun.social · 29/06/2026Who are the crypto bros? The amazing Izaura Solipa crunched the data. Short answer: Crypto bros share the same privileged traits, educational credentials, and institutional access that characterize elites in 'traditional' Wall Street segments. Just out in SER: academic.oup.com/ser/advance-... 26933
Pepper Culpepper @pculpepper.bsky.social · 29/06/2026How should regulation balance considerations of efficiency and what citizens in a democracy want? What's the biggest problem in the US today -- the concentration of economic power or over-regulation? Justin Kempf and I debate these questions on the latest episode of Democracy Paradox. 👇democracyparadox.comPepper Culpepper Says Good Populism Can Save Democracy - Democracy ParadoxPepper Culpepper says good populism targets billionaires, not immigrants, and could help save democracy from corporate scandal. 022
Reposted by Pepper CulpepperNieman Lab @niemanlab.org · 26/06/2026This month saw the launch of The Porter Square Review of Books. The store’s booksellers and writers-in-residence have begun publishing weekly book reviews on its website. www.niemanlab.org/2026/06/book...niemanlab.orgBook reviews are an endangered species. So this independent bookstore decided to start publishing its own.“We’re not just going to complain about it!” 0167
Pepper Culpepper @pculpepper.bsky.social · 25/06/2026I think the vice president needs a refresher on why Watergate mattered. I have an idea: put down Communion and pick up a copy of… 000
Pepper Culpepper @pculpepper.bsky.social · 25/06/2026Words fail me here. Turns out the deep state took down Nixon, not Republicans in Congress asking ‘What did the president know and when did he know it?’ 110
Pepper Culpepper @pculpepper.bsky.social · 24/06/2026My advice, from bitter experience, is that net worths are volatile right now and publication lag times are long. Craft text accordingly. 010
Reposted by Pepper CulpepperMatthijs Rooduijn @mrooduijn.bsky.social · 24/06/2026Today we launch the new version of The PopuList! The PopuList provides an overview of far-left, far-right and populist parties in 31 European countries from 1989 until 1 May 2026. Explore the new website here: popu-list.orgpopu-list.orgHome - The PopuListThe PopuList Interactive Version 4.0 Static Version 4.0 CSV Version 4.0 What is the PopuList? The PopuList offers researchers, journalists, […] 415477
Pepper Culpepper @pculpepper.bsky.social · 21/06/2026Happy Father’s Day to all! Today my daughter decided I needed better social media presence for Billionaire Backlash. Behold the result. 140