Digital Countries are the Next Big Thing

FUTURE OF THE WORLD - Edition 23

Hi everyone,

In today’s edition, we learn about network states/digital countries—a concept currently being spearheaded by Balaji Srinivasan.

By 2035, network states will be the norm.

Perfect time for us to dive in and understand what they are, and how they will work.

Have a great weekend!

Misha

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Here’s what you’re getting today:

• Article: How to Start a Digital Country

• Podcast: Tim Ferriss talks to Balaji Srinivasan

• Podcast: Balaji talks to Shopify’s leaders

• Book: The Network State

• Website: Nascent network states

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Article:

The Network State by Balaji Srinivasan — How to Start a Digital Country

The article is the perfect place to start. It covers everything you need to know about the thinking behind the Network State idea. All laid out in simple terms.

• Who Is Balaji Srinivasan?

• What Is a Network State?

• The 7 Steps to Forming a Network State

• Founding a Startup Society

• Organize the Society into a Group Capable of Collective Action

• Build Trust Offline and a Crypto Economy Online

• Crowdfund Physical Nodes

• Digitally Connect Physical Communities

• On-Chain Census Tracking Its Growth

• Diplomatic Recognition

• Why Do We Need a Network State?

• Do Network States Already Exist?

• What Does a Network State Look Like on a Map?

• What Does Vitalik Buterin Think About Network States?

• Final Thoughts

The Network State by Balaji Srinivasan — How to Start a Digital Country

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Podcast:

Tim Ferriss talks to Balaji Srinivasan

This is a masterclass in future thinking: government, economics, society, humanity, and more.

Listen to all of it. For specifics on the network state, start here:

00:58:48 What is a network state?

A network state is a social network with a moral innovation, a sense of national consciousness, a recognized founder, a capacity for collective action, an in-person level of civility, an integrated cryptocurrency, an archipelago of crowdfunded physical territories, a virtual capital, and an on-chain census that proves a large enough population income and real estate footprint to attain a measure of diplomatic recognition.

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Podcast:

Balaji talks to Tobi Lütke & Kaz Nejatian on Shopify's Country-Sized Economy

Learn how Shopify rose from a tiny startup to a $180B+ global economy, with an annual GMV on par with the GDP of New Zealand.

Also, the Hanseatic League, merchant cavemen, the history of the corporation, and the optimal level of platform decentralization.

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Book:

The Network State by Balaji Srinivasan

Technology has enabled us to start new companies, new communities, and new currencies. But can we use it to start new cities or even new countries? This book explains how to build the successor to the nation-state, a concept we call the network state.

“Balaji has the highest rate of output per minute of good new ideas of anybody I’ve ever met, and The Network State may be his best.” — Marc Andreessen, cofounder of Andreessen Horowitz

"We've started new currencies. Now The Network State shows us how to start new cities and new countries." — Vitalik Buterin, cofounder of Ethereum

"The future convergence of networks and governments, from one of the most brilliant thinkers alive." — Naval Ravikant, cofounder of AngelList

Get it here: The Network State

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Website:

The Network State Dashboard

Learn about current nascent network states and communities, and maybe join the future.

https://thenetworkstate.com/dashboard

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