What’s Trending in The Network State

This article forms the second part of the insightful conversation between Stuart (AKA the Wordsmith) and Alessio Treglia, the new Chief Technology Officer (CTO) at Jur. In this second half of the interview, the pair go into detail about the world of governance applications and Alessio’s vision for how he can help lead the company into its new bold era to create the building blocks for decentralised governance. If you missed the first exciting part, we encourage you to read it here. As the conversation continued Alessio began to dig into how decentralised start-up societies and network states could evolve to help improve our current societal systems. He highlighted the fact that everything, including the Web3 world, is embedded in governance - even if many don’t realise it, stating how, “Web3 promises to revolutionise the financial system. However, even the systems of Web3 are governed through regulation. Governance is everywhere.”  Alessio continued to elaborate that the fundamental structure of our financial system and economy form the base of our society. Therefore, the way we want to trade with each other is based on rules, and as such governance helps us trade fairly. The CTO then explained how he believes governance lies at the heart of every organisation – it allows individuals, organisations and countries alike to come together and write the rules when a common interest is at stake. The conversation continued to highlight the importance and virtue behind governance, often helping rivals to reach common ground. “We want to write the rules so even rivals can sit down and agree on a basis for fair trade,” he said. “At the heart of governance lies a solid foundation for transparency and shared values.” Alessio’s wise words highlighted the widespread positive application that systems such as Network States can provide if implemented well - ensuring fair arbitration for almost any dispute or issue, as well as the discovery of common ground.  The pair continued on to discuss how there are many areas where one could focus and solve a particular problem in the public expenditure scenario using effective governance, given the fact that – as Alessio explained – across the world, 40% of the GDP is usually managed by a centralised government for public expenditure.  Governance in that sense gives the public certain guarantees they need, and encourages them to take part in the democratic process perpetually. The conversation then expanded on this detail further through the example of Public Goods. Alessio explained how, “making money as a public good is not easy. They are deemed to be used as a right [by citizens]. They feel entitled to use it as a right. For example, public infrastructure, such as roads and highways, are used by everybody. However, there is always a business behind that.” As such governance of these public goods is crucial to maintain a cohesive and supportive society and can help circumvent issues by providing effective compromise solutions in a way that is agreed upon by all –such as paying highway tolls. Stuart then started to dig deeper into Jur’s mission to build the infrastructure for Network States, starting by helping viewers understand what one is in its simplest form. Although the fundamental concept is not often easily understood at this stage of its infancy, Alessio had the perfect explanation. He began by drawing similarities between a Decentralised Autonomous Organisation (DAO) - which is a largely understood system in the Web3 space, explaining how, “the answer is very simple. A DAO is a subset of a Network State. [It is] an organisation of individuals and entities, all with some common interest - usually financial - who congregate…to pool resources together.” A DAO effectively helps a group of individuals to make decisions together through a decentralised democratic process on the blockchain. Alessio further expanded on this by stating, “[In a DAO] you bring capital to the party. You put capital at risk and then become a member of that DAO.” A Network State therefore is a superset of this use case that doesn’t rely solely on capital risk. The CTO concluded the explanation brilliantly by drawing parallels to members of a country. “[You are] a citizen…not because of the capital you possess, but for other reasons. You can be poor, but you would still be considered a citizen, and a potentially valuable one. The concept of a state is not a membership and is not dependent on capital,” which is exactly what a Network State is - a social community with an aligned mission for collective actions that operate through an on-chain social contract without requiring a physical territory.  With the definition of a Network State solidified, the conversation then shifted to the aspirations for Web3 ecosystems and how Jur will make a significant contribution to its growth and development. Alessio explained how Jur has already been playing a crucial role in the ecosystem in terms of building the technology and infrastructure for Network States as they continue to gather more use cases on a daily basis. “We don’t contribute by lending our expertise or experience,” he said. “Instead, we create building blocks and then create use cases on top of those blocks.” Indeed Jur prides itself on creating connections and asking the exact question that Alessio outlined: “What is the big problem for organisations and corporations in terms of governance?” and then assisting those seeking the technology required to structure their organisation in an efficient manner.  Stuart then wrapped up the engaging conversation by posing the new CTO a key question: “With your experience in building tech infrastructure and governance, what are your plans for decentralised governance?” Alessio responded by stating, “We [Jur] have new use cases coming to us on a daily basis, and the more use cases we have - the better equipped we are.” Again the response showed how Alessio has his finger on the pulse of Jur’s ethos. Building a constant influx of new use cases is crucial in growing the project’s knowledge in the space in regards to what organisations need, allowing it to by extension grow its toolbox and scale faster. Overall, the fun and insightful conversation revealed a lot not only about the CTO’s past, but also its future vision – particularly as it continues to unveil the infrastructure for Network States and provide burgeoning organizations with better choices and support, using innovative blockchain technology.  Alessio concluded by stating, “Our vision is to empower people and societies to have a governance system come to [system-based] conclusions on-chain by leveraging our comprehensive tools. Although you can’t predict what democracy 2.0 or 3.0 will look like, you can start building the blocks to create it.”  And that is exactly what Jur intends to do as it gives power back to the people. 

In the realm of startup societies, culture serves as the glue that underpins and holds a community together, reflecting its various values, norms, traditions, and shared understanding. The introduction of Jur's dynamic Society dApp provides an interactive platform for shaping these very cultures, giving Founders the granular tools they need to grow a community that perfectly resonates with their specific vision. As such, first understanding and then establishing the culture within a Startup Society is critical to its longevity and success. Culture, at its core, is a shared set of values, beliefs, and customs that govern the intrinsic behaviors of a community. For startup societies, this is effectively the blueprint that shapes principles, enhances community well-being, and creates the accepted parameters (‘norms’) to be upheld and respected by its members. Of course it can be a daunting task for a Founder to try and ascertain what these various elements might be. So to make things easier, we've put together a comprehensive breakdown of the key cultural elements to consider when creating your Startup Society: Values Values are the moral principles or behavioral standards that underpin a community's identity. They are the ideological compass that guides the community's decisions and actions. Prospective members often consider these values to be paramount when choosing to join a specific community. As a Founder, establishing and promoting clear values will attract like-minded individuals, forming a cohesive society. Norms Norms are behavioural parameters encoded into rules, laws, or regulations. They set the boundaries for acceptable conduct within the society, reflecting its collective moral compass. As a member, participating in the process of establishing norms ensures that the society's values align with their own - and as such it is crucial that a Founder has made them clear and coherent when creating the society. Customs Customs reflect a community's shared beliefs about appropriate conduct, even in the absence of explicit rules or laws. Upholding customs that align with the society's values fosters an environment of integrity and support, drawing in members who share these convictions. Traditions Traditions represent behaviours or practices that have been upheld over time, usually without the support of written norms. These traditions can serve as a powerful draw for potential members who resonate with them or have an interest in participating in new traditions. As we see in our everyday lives, traditions are often extremely important to both individuals and collective groups, and online communities are no different. In essence a tradition does not need to be old to be valuable, just something that unites people through its practice. Religion The presence and influence of a belief system, or the lack thereof, play a significant role in a community's culture. Prospective members' devotion, acceptance, or opposition to a specific faith can greatly influence their decision to join an startup society. Founders should consider this strongly when defining the religious landscape of their society. Language Language forms the backbone of any community, serving as a primary mode of communication. It's a crucial aspect of a society's culture and can significantly influence its overall cohesion and identity. These elements come together to form a society's culture, shaping its overall identity and appeal to prospective members. The culture of an startup society, defined within Jur's Society dApp, ensures that your society's principles and behaviours align with your community's values. Jur's Society dApp provides Founders the infrastructure to create their unique societal cultures. Through its various features, Founders can accurately convey and define their community's myriad values (as outlined above) shaping an startup society that truly reflects their vision. When defining the culture of your startup society, it is important to remember that creating an inclusive, open, and vibrant space is critical. It will not only attract members who resonate with your core principles and values but also create a sense of belonging and community (in the truest sense of the word) that will help perpetuate longevity and success. In essence, building a startup society is not just about creating an innovative, on-chain community; it's about crafting a culture that truly reflects the core ideology of your society. Understanding the role of culture and harnessing Jur's Society dApp to shape it will help you create a startup society that is both dynamic, inclusive, and enduring. Now all that’s left is to get started today, Get early access to the Jur Society dApp, and let’s build the future of societies together!

The use of distributed ledger technology in Bitcoin’s approach to providing money without a central authority has inspired people to look for other ways to decentralise. The Network state concept arises from dissatisfaction with the current location-bound, central authority of nation states and a desire to provide a model that provides citizens a better way to organise and participate. Modern nation states have complex rules that developed over time to serve many purposes and many masters. While the mechanism for producing these rules is often nominally democratic, the cumulative results do not necessarily reflect the needs and desires of modern citizens. Moreover, the internet and blockchain technology create countless opportunities for cooperation across borders but nation state governments hinder these global possibilities as often as they help. But what if there was a set of rules designed to facilitate orderly global cooperation that was created, maintained, and enforced by a network of peers? We can create networks that operate through distributed ledger technology using tokens to offer an auditable way to participate without having to trust a central entity. And we can build a network that offers a system for creating, adopting, and enforcing rules as well as feature for identifying citizens. People can choose to opt into such a system, create a citizen identity on the blockchain, and agree to abide by enforceable rules. These citizens can enter into contracts and enforce them through dispute resolution processes if the need arises. This network that delivers governance could even seek to crowdfund movements to create free enterprise zones within existing nation states where their citizens could live under opt-in rules. We could call this combination of a social network of people, blockchain technology, and intent to self-govern a Network State. Help shape the future of the Network State movement by joining thousands of other pre-constitutional citizens on Jur. Become a citizen today, get your free NFT Passport.

Human society is undergoing a radical transformation with the emergence of the Network State movement, an avant-garde concept challenging the conventional forms of governance. At the heart of this change is decentralisation, a principle that enables communities to self-organise, making governance more efficient, democratic, and tailored to their specific needs. This redefinition of societal structures marks a departure from traditional centralised governance mechanisms, replacing them with ones that empower both the collective community and individual citizens. This groundbreaking shift is largely facilitated by Web3 technologies, including blockchain, smart contracts, and decentralised applications (dApps), each of which plays a critical role in this transformative process. The advent of these technologies – especially blockchain – has begun to redefine our understanding of statehood and governance. This technology's inherent transparency, accountability, and decentralized nature align seamlessly with the principles of the Network State, offering new mechanisms for consensus-building and conflict resolution, among others. As such, we are witnessing a reimagining of the State, not as a geographically defined entity controlled by a central authority, but as a flexible, digital entity governed by a community of individuals. Evolution of Governance Models Human societies have long grappled with governance. From the autocratic monarchies of the past, where power was concentrated in the hands of the few, to modern democracies, where it is ideally distributed more equitably, the journey has been extensive and eventful. However, we now stand on the brink of a new era, one that promises to democratize power even further – the era of decentralized governance within the Network State movement. This movement is fuelled by the dual demands of collective decision-making and individual autonomy. Aided by the Internet, individuals worldwide are expressing an increasing desire for self-governance and more direct involvement in the decisions that affect them. Blockchain technology has proved to be a crucial catalyst in this regard. By offering unmatched levels of transparency, immutability, and consensus-based decision-making, blockchain technology perfectly harmonizes with the principles of decentralized governance. The rise of Decentralised Autonomous Organizations (DAOs) such as UniSwap is a strong testament to this evolution  DAOs, often regarded as the building blocks of Network States, encapsulate the application of these principles in a real-world context. These decentralized entities operate transparently and autonomously, based on a set of pre-programmed rules enforced on a blockchain. DAOs set the stage for a broader vision - the emergence of digital nations, where governance extends beyond simple token-based decisions to more comprehensive, community-centric models. Challenges Faced by Decentralised Communities The shift towards decentralized governance, however, is not without its challenges. These include: Scaling - As communities grow, scaling governance models to maintain decision-making efficiency becomes more complex. Striking a balance between individual autonomy and collective consensus becomes increasingly challenging as the number of participants grows. Coordination - In a decentralized setting, coordinating actions across a geographically distributed network can be problematic. This issue becomes even more acute as the number of participants increases and their locations become more disparate. Conflict resolution - Conflicts are an unfortunately unavoidable aspect of human society. In a decentralized community, resolving these conflicts fairly and transparently is of paramount importance. Traditional judicial systems may not be equipped to handle such disputes, necessitating the development of new conflict resolution mechanisms. Decision-making - While token-based voting is a common practice in DAOs, achieving consensus on every issue is neither feasible nor efficient. This necessitates the exploration of alternative decision-making models. Trust - In the absence of a central authority, establishing trust within a decentralized community can be challenging. Trust, in this context, extends beyond interpersonal relationships and encompasses the entire system, including its governance mechanisms and decision-making processes. Innovative Solutions for Decentralised Governance Despite these challenges, the digital landscape abounds with innovative solutions, many of which leverage the unique properties of blockchain technology and the broader Web3 ecosystem. For instance, the scalability issue is being addressed by Layer 2 solutions, sidechains, and sharding techniques that enhance blockchain network performance. This allows the network to handle an increasing volume of transactions, thereby facilitating the growth of the community. In terms of coordination, platforms like our own are emerging as game-changers. Jur offers robust tools for community engagement and coordination, making the management of decentralized societies more efficient. This includes features that facilitate collaboration, collective decision-making, and the transparent tracking of community activities. Blockchain's inherent transparency and immutability also provide a solid foundation for dispute resolution. By ensuring that all transactions and interactions within the community are transparently recorded and cannot be altered retrospectively, blockchain helps foster a sense of fairness, thereby reducing the potential for disputes. Furthermore, smart contracts allow for the automatic enforcement of agreements, thereby preventing many disputes from arising in the first place. For decision-making, alternative models such as quadratic voting are being considered. These models seek to balance the influence of different participants, ensuring that governance decisions are not unduly influenced by a few participants with disproportionately large token holdings. In the context of trust, the characteristics of blockchain technology come to the fore. Its transparency and security create a trustless environment where code governs interactions and transactions, obviating the need for a central authority. Overall, the Network State movement, propelled by the principles of decentralised governance, heralds a paradigm shift in the way societies are organised and governed. While the path is replete with challenges, the digital landscape is rapidly evolving to address these, offering innovative solutions grounded in Web3 technologies. Jur, as a forerunner in this space, offers robust, innovative solutions that empower communities to establish, manage, and grow their societies. Through our pioneering work, we feel we are leading the charge towards a future where decentralised governance is not a mere concept but a concrete reality, transforming our perception of what a society can be in the digital age.

Startup Societies - Faster Evolution Our current forms of social organisation and governance have evolved over centuries, along with mechanisms for agreeing on and implementing new ideas. But the pluralist societies we live in and the complex systems that govern them have become more resistant to change while at the same time, technological change has accelerated. Our current organisational paradigms can’t keep up. The Startup Society concept addresses this problem.  Startup Societies apply the lean development principle of the tech startup paradigm to creating new, closely aligned digital-first communities. In contrast to pluralist systems that have evolved over centuries through adversarial processes of compromise, closely aligned startup societies can adopt relatively simple, faster-moving models for agreeing on new policies and move swiftly to try new ideas. The Problem of Trust When someone is starting a society nothing, they don’t have anything to lose. People may be reluctant to join a group if they perceive there is not a strong incentive for the founder to behave in a trustworthy way. Almost everyone who follows Web3 has heard of “Rug Pulls” where someone raises money for a crypto project off-chain and absconds with the funds.  But when used carefully, a blockchain can create instant and inviolable trust. We can’t know the intentions of a Founder or the members of a society. The founder may not have a reputation we could use as a basis for some degree of trust. But if they use a blockchain to publish and store their initial set of rules and establish a blockchain process for making new rules and spending money, we can completely trust that “what we see is what we get”. A promise encoded as a smart contract on the blockchain is a promise that will not be broken.  Blockchains can provide transparent and incorruptible procedures and records for the governance of a society, creating instant trust at a level of confidence that non-blockchain institutions, even ones with centuries of reputation, cannot rival. Even A Simple Startup Society Benefits from Blockchain Startup Societies may be rather “low-stakes” propositions in their early phases. Still, people will have to decide if they want to sacrifice their time to participate in these experiments. Knowing the system is certain to be trustworthy can help inspire the confidence to participate. And while Startup  Societies may start out with small steps and relatively low-impact activities, eventually they can evolve into Network States that are peers to Nation States. Those that use blockchains can point to a knowable transparent history to justify and explain every aspect of their evolution in the future when the stakes are higher. Proving Impact to Gain Recognition Some Startup Societies may eventually want to crowd-fund territory and even seek special economic zone status and then, in the final step to becoming a true Network State, diplomatic recognition. In order to gain recognition and negotiate for some limited autonomy from Nation States, a Startup Society can demonstrate its significance by proving population growth and increasing economic impact with indisputable blockchain data. 

The pioneering world of web3 has recently seen an explosive growth in boundary-pushing innovation – with one such monumental paradigm shift being the rapid rise and tangible potential of the Network State. Driven by a blend of blockchain, smart contracts, and decentralised applications (dApps), these digitally-anchored societies aim to disrupt conventional governance structures, presenting untapped market opportunities in the digital landscape. Among the pioneers facilitating this revolution is Jur, an innovative startup that has developed the Jur Society dApp and Founder's Handbook, tools and resources that enable founders to launch their communities into Web3 without writing a line of code. The Network State movement itself is built upon the principles of community-centric governance, flexibility, and innovation. It draws on the lessons of past societal evolutions, taking cues from historical transitions from tribes to nation-states. Network States represent a digital leap forward, transcending geographical confines and traditional hierarchical structures to present a decentralised, globalised community model. Jur – with its revolutionary platform – is playing a crucial role in molding this Network State vision into a reality. Web 3 : The Untapped Well of Societal Evolution The rise of Startup Societies – an embodiment of the Network State movement – is a response to an increasing desire for innovation, experimentation, and community-driven governance. These societies are flexible and adaptable, enabling individuals to form self-governing communities that align with their unique values and needs. Decentralized web3 technologies present the perfect scaffolding for such societies too; blockchain's immutable and transparent nature, smart contracts' programmability, and dApps' interoperability provide an untapped market opportunity for creating, managing, and scaling these collectives. Moreover, they redefine societal structures, offering freedom from centralized control while ensuring integrity and transparency. The ongoing digital revolution and rapid growth of decentralization – led by blockchain and related Web3 technologies – presents unprecedented prospects for Startup Societies. These are not just for implementing alternative societal models, but also for pioneering innovative social, economic, and political structures. The central value proposition of Web3 technologies is their capacity to redefine trust and transparency in society. For instance, Blockchain’s ledger technology (where information is shared and continually reconciled among every participant in the network) is recorded in real-time, visible to everyone, and cannot be changed retrospectively. When applied to Startup Societies, this allows for trustless interactions and ensures integrity in governance processes, eliminating the need for centralized authorities or intermediaries. Further, smart contracts (self-executing contracts with the terms of agreement directly written into lines of code) provide an autonomous mechanism for enforcing and managing societal rules and regulations. They offer a way to automate complex administrative tasks, reduce bureaucratic inefficiencies, and ensure complete adherence to societal norms without any chance of bias or manipulation. This inherent functionality presents a significant market opportunity for Startup Societies to operate more efficiently and transparently. Moreover, decentralised applications, or dApps, built on blockchain networks, provide the infrastructure for creating and managing Startup Societies. As the case of Jur's Society dApp illustrates, the platforms enable founders to establish societies' values, rules, traditions, manage governance models, issue memberships, rewards, and more. This unprecedented ease of creating and managing societies paves the way for a surge in the creation of new Startup Societies, driving market demand for a new economy. Also, the adoption of Web3-native community tooling can lead to innovative fundraising mechanisms). to raise funds, fuelling their operations and incentivising member participation. Jur’s Path to Implementing new Societies. Of course, establishing a Startup Society isn't a straightforward endeavour. From defining collective frameworks to ensuring robust community engagement, the journey is riddled with complexities. That's where Jur's unique proposition, the Founder's Handbook, steps in. This resource provides insights, best practices, and guidance to navigate these intricacies, making the path to a successful Startup Society far more attainable and achievable. In addition, using the Jur Society dApp, founders can design their societies to the unique characteristics of their communities. From allowing an immutable record of votes on key societal issues to issuing NFT memberships for exclusive access and creating a badge system for member recognition, the dApp ensures a seamless and engaging society management experience. Jur's Society dApp is also a springboard towards its broader vision - a 1-Click Country ecosystem. This concept envisions an interconnected network of Startup Societies that can rapidly scale and collaborate; Jur's ecosystem allows societies to work in harmony, enabling them to grow and evolve collectively. It also provides the foundational infrastructure for fostering societal cooperation while maintaining each society's independence and uniqueness. In conclusion, the Web3 market opportunity for Startup Societies (and by extension Network States) is vast, multifaceted, and highly promising. As we stand at the cusp of a digital revolution that offers unprecedented opportunities to reimagine our societal frameworks, Jur is pushing this exciting and disruptive new framework forward. By harnessing the power of blockchain, smart contracts, and decentralised applications – while providing a comprehensive handbook and intuitive dApp – the company is not only facilitating an untapped market potential in the Web3 sphere, but providing an actual blueprint for trailblazing founders to implement their new ideas, and ultimately pushing the world ever-closer to a fairer more decentralised form of governance.  You can get early access to the Jur Society dApp here.