The Network State
The Network State is a highly coordinated online community with the ability to take collective action. It aims to acquire territory worldwide through crowdfunding and eventually obtain diplomatic recognition from existing nation states. It is similar to the concept of L0 Mass Country and L1 Information State. The idea of obtaining diplomatic recognition from existing nation states is also mentioned in the concept of Create a Small Country on the Internet?. It is more feasible and interesting than the idea of Many Independent Countries. However, the management of resources such as land, coal, and oil remains a challenge, so it is necessary to create a L0 Mass Country in the end. Introducing the concept of L1 Information State first would make the transition easier. It is interesting to see how it will develop further. The image of a Nation State is often associated with land and territory, but in the case of "The Network State," it brings to mind the idea of a collective bond among its citizens. The Network State is a social network that encompasses moral innovation, national consciousness, recognized founders, the ability for collective action, face-to-face etiquette, integrated cryptocurrencies, government based on consensus through restricted social smart contracts, a group of physical islands acquired through crowdfunding, virtual capital, and on-chain demographics that prove the population, income, and real estate footprint. While there are many phenomena on the internet that are similar to this, not all of them have achieved diplomatic recognition, which may involve 武力 (force) as mentioned in Three-Body. The concept of Smart contract as a Public Good is implied but not explicitly stated. The Network State can be explained with a single image: https://thenetworkstate.com/networkstate.gif. It focuses on the growth of individuals, income, and real estate in society by combining the concepts of currency, companies, and nations. Continuous growth within this nation is achieved through continuous citizen voting, both from existing citizens and external immigrants. This aligns with the concept of Mobile Voting, which addresses the problem of depopulation in rural areas. The idea of "voting by foot" discussed in The Network State is similar to creating many small independent countries to increase fluidity. However, it is not necessary for each Network State to grow infinitely or accept the same type of people. The emphasis is on building a society that people want to participate in as a whole. Imagine a Network State that focuses on improving the average lifespan of its citizens or correctly redistributing income for everyone. It is possible to achieve what you measure.
If explained in a thousand characters, the idea is to use technology to create companies, communities, and currencies, but can we create cities or nations? The key is to start with an online community and then bring it into the physical world. The steps to achieve this are: 1) establish a Startup Society as an online community, 2) organize until collective action is possible and form a Network Union, 3) build trust offline and create a digital economy with cryptocurrencies, 4) crowdfund physical nodes and bring digital citizens into the physical world, 5) connect physical communities digitally and create a network of islands worldwide, and 6) conduct on-chain censuses to prove the growth of the society. Ultimately, the goal is to obtain diplomatic recognition from existing governments and gradually expand sovereignty to become a true Network State. In conclusion, the desire to start a new state peacefully is similar to seeking a blank canvas or a fresh start without historical constraints. While there may be challenges and criticisms, it is more efficient to create something new without being bound by historical limitations.