Economy of Control

An economic system whose primary output is control—over populations, labor, attention, and behavior. In the economy of control, value is extracted not just from production but from surveillance, data collection, algorithmic management, and behavioral manipulation. Platforms monetize your attention and predict your actions; employers use tracking software to monitor every keystroke; credit scores shape your life options. The economy of control does not need prisons or police on every corner; it uses fine‑grained, continuous, often invisible mechanisms to steer conduct. It is the economic logic beneath surveillance capitalism.

Example: “His fitness tracker shared data with his employer, who adjusted his insurance premiums based on his step count—economy of control, where even your morning walk is managed and monetised.”

Market of Control

A marketplace where control is bought and sold as a commodity: surveillance tools, compliance software, reputation management services, digital monitoring platforms, and even social credit systems. Corporations purchase control over their workers; governments purchase control over citizens; influencers purchase control over their image. The market of control offers products that promise to reduce uncertainty, enforce norms, and preempt dissent. It thrives on the fear of chaos, selling the illusion of perfect order at the cost of autonomy.

Example: “The startup sold AI software that predicted which employees might quit—the market of control, turning human restlessness into a risk to be managed.”

Economy of Control by Abzugal Nammugal Enkigal April 21, 2026