The co-founder of Ethereum, Vitalik Buterin, has published an article exploring the tension between the crypto space and governance. He introduces the concept of “Plurality,” a philosophy that emphasizes the importance of integrating diverse perspectives and connections between individuals to create more effective governance and social systems.
In the blog post, Buterin states that one of the interesting tensions in the crypto space, which has become a digital home for his geographically nomadic self over the last decade, is its relationship to the topic of governance. The crypto space originated from the cypherpunk movement, which values independence from external constraints often imposed by politicians and corporations.
The need for governance in new crypto constructs
However, Buterin notes that newer crypto constructions like blockchains, cryptocurrencies, and DAOs have an inherent need to build their own governance. The ongoing survival of these structures depends crucially on mathematical research, open-source software, and other large-scale public goods.
Buterin incorporates real-life situations to support these complex relationships between cooperation and liberty. He cites the case of Florida’s Governor Ron DeSantis, who banned synthetic meat, a measure that the Libertarian Party of New Hampshire describes as “authoritarian socialist.”
Nonetheless, some defended DeSantis, arguing that when such technologies become mainstream, they will make the lives of those who do not want to follow harder. Similarly, some freedom-focused people criticized Google’s launch of a feature to alert Android users of potential financial scams in real-time.
Buterin says these tensions made him question what should be defended by freedom’s defenders. He believes public goods are now crucial. The internet has made communication abundant, not scarce. Existing attempts to deal with these challenges often rely on pragmatic compromises. But Buterin advocates for a principled way of looking at the world that can incorporate these challenges.
Here is where “Plurality” comes in. It represents a social philosophy of Buterin respecting and furthering flowering and cooperation for the diversity of sociocultural groups and systems. Plurality, co-authored with Glen Weyl and Audrey Tang, puts forward this concept as a fully fleshed-out framework. This is for designing social, political, and economic mechanisms that treat the ties connecting people as a first-class object.
