In a society where "people who get shit done" are totally unconstrained, how do we ensure the right people are doing the right shit? I think you're making an assumption is that "shit getting done" is by definition progress, but I see no reason that would have to be the case especially absent any controls on what's being done. It might qualify as movement, but movement by definition can be in any direction.
College libertarian complaints about government aside, democratic societies actually have a pretty good track record of progress compared to the alternatives that came before them. There are undoubtedly cases where legitimate progress was slowed by democracy, but if you remove democracy entirely, how do you have any assurance it's those cases that would be accelerated. Like maybe we'll get to Mars faster or invent unlimited fusion energy without representative government. But maybe we'll revert to tribal feudalism because every oligarch will think they're the man of destiny and try to make it so.
College libertarian complaints about government aside, democratic societies actually have a pretty good track record of progress compared to the alternatives that came before them. There are undoubtedly cases where legitimate progress was slowed by democracy, but if you remove democracy entirely, how do you have any assurance it's those cases that would be accelerated. Like maybe we'll get to Mars faster or invent unlimited fusion energy without representative government. But maybe we'll revert to tribal feudalism because every oligarch will think they're the man of destiny and try to make it so.