Alex Gladstein wrote this for the Johns Hopkins Journal Of Democracy.
According to the Human Rights Foundation, 5.7 billion people live in authoritarian regimes, meaning that the overwhelming majority of democracy activists are living in places where their payments, fundraising, and savings are completely broken.
This is a very comprehensive article. Those familiar with the work of the HRF will already know about many of the examples Gladstein cites.
This paper is directed to a more normie audience, and I think it's very persuasive.
Yes, the article is really very comprehensive for normies, for non tech guys like me. A must read for all imo.
On a side note I'm surprised to see that I shared it already but it doesn't show up in the related top (I'm sure it also didn't show up in the dupes for you).
Something to look into for @ek and co. maybe.
Please don't delete, it should get more discussion which it's due.
I would not have posted it if I saw it. Oh well.
No problem sir.
This one should get more discussion/engagement what the article deserves. In fact I just put up links, don't have such articulation to suggest why the article is important.
You are very articulateš
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Gladstein's book is also excellent. I've long said that bitcoin has reached the core audience that is open to it. Liberty minded, tech literate people. The people Gladsein can reach is another audience most of us offend with all our talk of anarchism, individual responsibility, and nerdy tools. We are a tiny minority.
But bitcoin has real utility for most people in the world. They just don't see it yet. In the US most people don't need bitcoin. Not as much as the rest of the world I mean. Yeah, everyone needs it but we are lulled to sleep by cheap credit and entertainment. For some... politics and the left/right distraction. I think those with real day to day needs will adopt bitcoin and the vast majority of the west will be laggards.
I agree. I have read Hidden Repression and Check Your Financial Privilege. His work, along with all the circular economies popping up in the global south are fostering real adoption.
Beneath the shrieking of the Bitcoin Treasury boosters, there does seem to be a steady drumbeat of sensible information about Bitcoin beginning to permeate society:
Maybe people will adopt BItcoin via common sense assumptions before they ever get any sats of their own.
Its just a matter of time.
On the reading list this weekend!
5.7 billion people under authoritarian rule is staggering. I havenāt read the article yet, but it sounds like Gladstein makes a strong case for how financial systems impact activism.
You raise an important point and this case just underlines how financial infrastructure is not neutral. In many authoritarian contexts traditional banking is effectively another tool of control. This is why you are seeing growing interest in decentralized finance and cryptocurrencies among activists despite their volatility. When access to funds can be arbitrarily revoked the ability to transact outside state controlled rails becomes more than a convenience it becomes a core part of political survival...