Network States: Utopian Fantasy or Dystopian Nightmare?
2025-02-05
Balaji Srinivasan's new book, *The Network State*, envisions a new social contract powered by Web3 technology, proposing the creation of 'startup countries' via blockchain. These 'network states' would consist of highly aligned online communities crowdfunding territory globally, eventually gaining diplomatic recognition. Critics argue this model resembles an archipelago of 'privatopias', exacerbating inequality and suppressing democratic participation with its simplistic 'one-commandment' governance. Instead of fragmented network states, leveraging network technology to build a more inclusive and participatory network society to solve real-world problems is proposed as a more viable solution.
Tech
Network Governance