Why Do Corporations Love Authoritarianism?

The least fun fact you’re likely to read today:

IBM helped the Nazis.

Through its German subsidiary Dehomag, “Big Blue” custom-engineered Hollerith punch card machines specifically designed to meet the Third Reich’s requirements for tracking, sorting, and processing human beings.

These were specialized systems developed to enhance the efficiency of Nazi operations, including the Holocaust itself.

The machines developed by IBM allowed for rapid processing of census and registration data, enabling the identification, concentration, and deportation of Jews and other targeted groups.

IBM technicians maintained on-site operations at various concentration camps, with each camp assigned a specific IBM customer number. These technicians regularly serviced the equipment and designed custom card formats to meet the specific requirements of the SS.

Thomas Watson, IBM’s CEO, maintained business relationships with Nazi leadership even as evidence of the regime’s horrific crimes mounted, accepting…