"I think the lack of discussion and materials and research is probably due to resource optimisation towards what people think is highest on the priority list(?)." I don't think it's as deliberate as you seem to think!

If you are talking about the forum, I think familiarity and precedent are a strong influence. (And a smidge popularity.) If you are talking about 8000h: I don't know. Maybe fewer people on the team find it compelling so they never quite get around to it? Or they think it would have less of a positive impact since there are other resources around?

Edit: Please create a resource post on one or all of these. I have been trying to link people to some of the best EA thinking on these topics, and like you I didn't find a ton of material.

Hi Elskivi,

Arden from 80,000 Hours here.

I think I’m part of that significant minority but cannot really find any further help or enough material regarding those topics from an EA angle, for example safeguarding democracy, risks of stable totalitarianism, risks from malevolent actors, global public goods etc.

Unfortunately there aren’t many materials on those issues -- they are mostly even more neglected (at least from a longtermist perspective) than issues like AI safety.

The resources I do know about are linked from the mini profiles on the page -- e.g. https://forum.effectivealtruism.org/posts/aSzxoj7irC5jNHceB/how-likely-is-world-war-iii for great power conflict, and https://www.sentienceinstitute.org/blog/the-importance-of-artificial-sentience for artificial sentience. I think there should be something for each of the listed problems, and the readings often have ‘further resources’ of their own.

We’re also working on filling out the mini profiles more, but the truth is not much work has been done on these areas generally from an longtermist or generally EA perspective (that I know of at least), so I’d guess there won’t be a ton more resources like you’re looking for soon.

Thus getting started on issues like these probably means doing research to figure out what the best interventions seem to be, e.g. by looking into what people outside EA are doing on them and where the most promising gaps seem to be, and then trying to get started filling them - either by working in an existing org that works on the issue, doing further research (e.g. as an academic or in a think tank), or starting a project of your own (it’ll depend a lot on the issue). So it may take considerable entrepreneurial spirit (and willingness to try things that don’t end up working) to make headway on some of the issues.

Perhaps you can be the person who makes/distributes those resources - if someone follows in your footsteps and is able to make better decisions because of you, you will have generated lots of Utility points 

For these specific ideas, working on safeguarding democracy and the others, this would probably be covered by creating or working for an EA organization that can advocate for these ideals to either a government or the United nations. There are several Nongovernmental Organizations (NGOs) that directly interface with the UN and lobby for their causes, or work directly with governments at a federal, state or local level. 

I would be surprised if there wasn't such an NGO that exists, if not uh, I'd be willing to help. Lobby and working with bureaucracy is a skill in itself. I'll probably write an article about this idea if there is interest.