BOOK · [025]
The Network State
Political theory / Technology
Balaji's manifesto for building new countries starting as online communities that earn diplomatic recognition. Vitalik gives it a long, mixed review on his blog: he's drawn to the experimental impulse but pushes back hard on the libertarian framing, asking how network states treat the people they leave behind.
Endorsed By
4 People-
Vitalik Buterin
“I want to see startup societies along these kinds of visions exist. I want to see immersive lifestyle experiments around healthy living. I want to see crazy governance experiments.”
Vitalik devoted a full blog post to reviewing Balaji's book. He concludes that network states 'with some modifications that push for more democratic governance' are a vision he can get behind.
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Brian Armstrong
“Balaji is a visionary, and one of the most original thinkers of our time. Many have had the experience of hearing him say something, thinking it was crazy, and then a year or two later realizing 'Balaji was right.' I think Balaji will be right about The Network State.”
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Naval Ravikant
“Future convergence of networks and governments, from brilliant thinker.”
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Marc Andreessen
“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.”