Introduction 

 Project 2025 has emerged as a significant issue in the 2024 presidential election. Driven by conservative think tanks and business interests, this initiative aims to reshape the political landscape of the United States. Although former President Donald Trump has distanced himself from it, his vice president has endorsed it​​. This mirrors historical attempts to undermine democracy, such as the little-known Business Plot of the 1930s. Both can be seen as responses to economic instability, particularly inflation, and are accompanied by rising right-wing nationalist sentiments threatening democracy globally. This article uses Weber's ideas on authority and conflict theory in sociology to understand these connections.

Historical Backdrop: The Business Plot

The Business Plot, also known as the White House Coup, was a political conspiracy in 1933 where wealthy businessmen plotted to overthrow President Franklin D. Roosevelt, obstruct New Deal reforms, and establish a fascist regime in the United States. Major General Smedley Butler, the most decorated soldier in the United States at the time, testified before Congress about the conspiracy, detailing how he was approached by representatives of powerful industrialists to lead a coup against the Roosevelt administration (Archer 1973). Butler’s staunch [LM2] commitment to democracy thwarted the plot, but the incident highlighted the lengths to which business interests would go to protect their wealth and power.

Congressional investigations into the Business Plot concluded that Butler’s allegations were credible, and the plot was real. However, the investigation faced significant limitations. None of the main conspirators were called to testify, and no one was prosecuted. The lack of accountability is indicative of the power and influence of the wealthy elite in shaping political outcomes, even when their actions verge on treasonous. Despite its significance, the Business Plot is still not widely taught and thus has neither been judged by history nor shaped public imagination and expectations of threats posed by entrenched financial interests.

Echoing the Past: Project 2025

Project 2025 is a current initiative seeking to reverse progressive reforms and entrench conservative ideologies within American politics. Supported by right-wing think tanks like the Heritage Foundation, it aligns with influential business magnates’ agendas. Its goal is to implement a conservative vision for America by influencing policy and governance through calculated appointments and legislative changes (Prokop 2024; Karanth 2024).

The Heritage Foundation’s “Mandate for Leadership” document, which forms the blueprint for Project 2025, outlines a comprehensive agenda aimed at overhauling nearly every aspect of federal policy and governance. This 920-page policy playbook, crafted by over 400 conservative scholars, provides detailed plans for a second Trump administration, rolling back progressive reforms and centralizing power within the executive branch (Esterline 2024).

Authority, Conflict, and Power: A Sociological Perspective

Both Max Weber’s ideas on authority and conflict theory are crucial in understanding both the Business Plot and Project 2025. Weber identified three types of legitimate authority: traditional, charismatic, and rational-legal. The Business Plot can be seen as an attempt to replace the rational-legal authority of Roosevelt’s government with a form of authoritarian rule deemed charismatic, given the intended leadership of Smedley Butler. Project 2025 similarly seeks to undermine rational-legal authority by promoting a conservative agenda that consolidates power among a select elite, thereby eroding democratic checks and balances (Weber 1978).

Weber’s theory posits that rational-legal authority is based on a system of well-established laws and procedures, foundational to democratic governance. By contrast, charismatic authority relies on personal appeal and leadership qualities, leading to a more authoritarian and less stable form of governance. In this context, Donald Trump’s leadership style can be tied to charismatic authority because his personal appeal has significantly shaped the conservative agenda and created political opportunities (Weber 1978).

Conflict theory, as outlined by Karl Marx and later expanded by others, posits that society is in a state of perpetual conflict due to competition for limited resources (Marx & Engels 1848). This theory is relevant when analyzing the motivations behind the Business Plot and Project 2025. From the perspective of conflict theory, the Business Plot and Project 2025 can be understood as the capitalist class’s reaction to threats posed by progressive policies that would redistribute wealth and power. The Business Plot was a reaction to Roosevelt’s New Deal, which sought to provide economic relief and reform through government intervention. The progressive taxation, labor protections, and social welfare programs of the New Deal were seen as direct threats to the economic dominance of the business elite.

Similarly, Project 2025 seeks to undermine regulatory frameworks and social welfare programs that protect the interests of the working class, thereby entrenching the dominance of the capitalist elite. For example, Project 2025 aims to dismantle regulatory frameworks established to protect workers, consumers, and the environment. It also proposes reducing or eliminating programs like Medicaid expansion, which provide critical support to low-income populations. By removing these protections, the project seeks to promote a deregulatory agenda that favors business interests and reduces governmental oversight. This approach is consistent with the Business Plot’s goal of overturning the regulatory constraints set by Roosevelt’s New Deal policies

This is part of a broader pattern in capitalist societies where the ruling class seeks to maintain its position of power by opposing policies that promote economic equality and social justice.

The Threat to Democracy

The implications of Project 2025 for American democracy are significant. By prioritizing the interests of the wealthy and powerful over those of the general populace, this initiative weakens the principles of egalitarianism and social justice that underpin democratic governance. Furthermore, concerted efforts to undo progressive reforms threaten to exacerbate social inequalities and erode public trust in democratic institutions.

Weber’s analysis of authority helps us understand how such initiatives can erode the rational-legal authority crucial for democratic stability. Replacing impartial governance structures with loyalist networks increases the risk of corruption and authoritarianism. Conflict theory shows us how these efforts function to entrench the power of capitalist elites, maintaining systemic inequalities and hindering social mobility.

Discussion Questions

  1. What are the systemic inequalities reinforced by Project 2025, and how might they affect social mobility and the distribution of material or economic resources in the United States?
  2. How do Weber’s types of legitimate authority help us understand the potential impacts of Project 2025 on democratic governance in the United States?
  3. How does Project 2025 reflect broader patterns of social change and resistance within capitalist societies, according to conflict theory?
  4. The Business Plot faced limited investigation and accountability. Could Project 2025 experience a similar lack of scrutiny or consequences? How does the control of wealth and influence shape political accountability?
  5. Considering the rise of nationalist movements globally, could Project 2025 be a moment that catalyzes further right-wing movements, or might it fade without significant impact?