We humans, for the most part, know what justice means. Of course, we disagree with each other: who can say what is right and what is wrong? We don’t even agree to fight for a fairer world or just accept that it’s not fair and move on.
But the vast majority of people have their own understanding of the concept, even if it is different from others. It is the basis of what we generally call our consciousness and is part of our human nature.
It gives us a sense of right and wrong and can serve as a powerful motivating force, sometimes even outweighing the will to self-preservation, although it is often impossible to explain conscientious conclusions in rational terms.
Now, more than ever, my conscience is telling me (more and more urgently) that there is something seriously wrong. And that thought is not new. This is what led me to buy bitcoins in the first place. Both economically and ideologically, perhaps even before you have understood the basics of the network. Some would say it’s irresponsible and maybe yes, but it wasn’t the first time I made a conscious decision and it won’t be the last. More importantly, consciousness is also what brought me dedicate myself to spread the adoption of bitcoins.
There are more red flags everywhere than ever before. Recent advances only increase the urgency of the sensation that I almost got used to, until it rose several degrees in early 2020 and again in early 2022. He reminds us: “You are not pleased. Stay focused on what you understand about the problem. It is my conscience that speaks to me. And what he says sums up what is written between the lines of a recent article shared by the president of the Bitcoin rock star of El Salvador, Nayib Bukele, in his Tweeter. His questioning attitude toward the article’s conclusion that Bitcoin “makes the world a little harder to see.”
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The purpose of this article is to try to really clarify and simplify this point, which I understood from the problem we are facing. Because without understanding the problem, we go around.
The problem is governance and the fact that, in its current form, it is not fair, but it is not inherently so. The problem is the result of the dynamics of global actors occupying unsustainable positions. And while we may not all agree on the specific meaning of this term “equity,” including all its complexities, I think there are certain basic principles that are codified within us.
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Now take a deep breath and set aside your personal opinions on WikiLeaks. The problem (and the solution) is neither WikiLeaks nor the US government. In this context, it only serves as an example to try to point out the problem, which is the dynamics at stake: the people who have put themselves in the position of police on the planet also want to be a gambler. On one thing we all agree, and that is: when the referee starts kicking the ball, the game loses all meaning. Especially if the referee is the strongest player on the court and, as a human being, addicted to the most powerful drug of all, his own power.
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Obviously, the solution is not to replace this power with another version of itself. If the United States continues its decline on the world stage, China seems ready to take its place. As Lyn Alden pointed out in a recent “What Bitcoin Did” podcast, China is the only country that will really benefit from this current war. But no one wants to live in a world dominated by communist China and its utter contempt for individual freedom and human rights.
Instead, the only solution is to adopt systems without leaders. “Wait. What ?! You mean anarchy ?!”
Again, take a deep breath and put aside what you think you understand about the idea of a world without rules. I am not offering any particular solution here. I’m just trying to frame the possibilities.
Think Bitcoin.
I’m not suggesting that Bitcoin fix everything. And I’m not suggesting that the technology used in Bitcoin be applicable in any way to any other system. I am not even saying that there is a solution to the problem of governance because I do not think there is a solution. Not yet.
What I’m suggesting is that the perceived need for leaders is the problem, not the solution, as many people seem to believe. Clearly, rulers cannot abide by the rules, and instead end up ruling based on their own self-interest and not the interest of maintaining fair play.
While the solution is not obvious, the direction we need to go is clear. We need to move towards rules instead of rulers. Thanks to Bitcoin, this system is no longer impossible to design.
Bitcoin is just a computer protocol designed to account for sending and receiving payments. Nothing more. But seen from a more abstract perspective, it should be clear that this is also an example of the kind of systems that need to be built if we are to survive and prosper.
I don’t know what these systems are because they weren’t built, not on a large scale anyway. But thanks to bitcoin, I can venture to guess what they will look like when they are built. Its structures will be fair. It will be transparent. The rules will be clear, easy to understand but will not change easily. Participation will be voluntary. There will be applicable rules, but these rules will not be applied by individuals or small groups sensitive to the defects of human nature.
I really hope we can build these systems, because the alternatives clearly don’t work. If there is one thing that is clear, it is this: the power of the police cannot be entrusted to human nature.
This is a guest post by Hermann Vivier. The views expressed are purely personal and do not necessarily reflect those of BTC Inc. o BitcoinMagazine.