Utah's Identity Crisis: Will Crony Capitalism Define Utah's Future?

Utah’s Identity Crisis: Will Crony Capitalism Define Utah’s Future?

Utah has now more tech jobs per capita than any other state. Our educated workforce, strong family values, and comparatively cheap real estate have successfully landed big tech in little Utah. But what is to stop Utah from becoming just like California? Great for the elite tech workers and rich; but terrible for middle-class working…

Richard Markosian

February 22, 2021

Get the story behind the settlement and development of the Great Basin in this episode of the Utah Stories Show that dives deep into Mormon Pioneer history and the community building efforts of the early pioneers. Find out what they had right, that we have largely forgotten.

Why is this relevant today?

Utah has now more tech jobs per capita than any other state. Our educated workforce, strong family values, and comparatively cheap real estate have successfully landed big tech in little Utah.

But what is to stop Utah from becoming just like California? Great for the elite tech workers and rich; but terrible for middle-class working Americans who are only watching their dreams of owning homes and businesses disappear.

Utah once had very clearly defined priorities and values. Those values defined the entire Great Basin area and most western states. The values were to keep government small, maintain a strong middle class and maintain limited government by maintaining a strong civic partnership between small and medium-sized businesses and government.

Today, more than ever our government is operating like a plutocracy, for the rich, by the rich — and catering to big corporations and massive tech companies. It’s time we returned to the original western values which defined the culture of the region.

Brigham Young and Joseph Smith’s ideals to create strong local economies and communities have been largely forgotten. In this episode, we illustrate how Brigham Young and the Latter-day Saints successfully built nearly 600 small communities throughout the West, from Canada to Mexico and throughout the entire Great Basin.

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Richard Markosian

I am a story teller and journalist. I have a passion for farmers, local craftspeople, and folks who aspire to create, build and grow their business in the local marketplace. Why local? By supporting locally-owned businesses we create more opportunity for entrepreneurs, and we claim our sovereignty to shape our communities how we want to see them. I aspire to build Utah Stories Magazine into a household Utah name, and assist Utah businesses and makers with marketing. On the journalism side of things my passion is investigative journalism that offers true insight into issues. I believe strongly in the forth estate: strong, meaningful, insightful journalism is essential to a free market Democracy.