A document published by George Soros’s Open Society Foundations (OSF) has ignited debate over proposals to transfer portions of public sovereignty to an “elite” group, according to a recent post on X (formerly Twitter) by Utah software engineer Jennica “DataRepublican” Pounds. The text, authored by Sonja Licht, a former OSF leader, suggests that democratic processes could be restructured to prioritize the authority of a select group deemed capable of addressing societal challenges.
The document outlines a concept where voters would temporarily cede part of their political power to this “responsible, courageous elite” after elections, a notion Pounds described as alarming. “The proposed solution to the public’s distrust in democracy… is less democracy. An unelected ‘elite’ to whom the public should cede sovereignty,” she wrote. Licht’s argument, framed as a “utopia,” has drawn criticism for challenging foundational democratic principles.
Licht, who holds high civilian honors from multiple countries and has ties to USAID, positions her proposal as a response to declining trust in liberal democracy. However, critics argue that the idea of an unelected governing class undermines the concept of popular sovereignty. The discussion highlights growing tensions over how to address democratic disillusionment, with concerns about the implications for political systems worldwide.
