Have you ever considered starting your own country? The constant stream of ‘bad news’ from around the world might well inspire you to create a new nation, not necessarily a utopia, but one that follows a different set of rules and is more efficient and less corrupt than many existing countries.
Bitnation
The blockchain has provided an opportunity to do just that. Bitnation was formed in 2014 and says it is Governance 2.0. You are welcomed to the Internet of Sovereignty, also known as Bitnation Pangea. And here you can create your own Decentralised Borderless Voluntary Nation (DBVN). Choose your Code of Law and Decision Making Mechanism, write a Constitution and provide Governance Services to Citizens. That promises to take up quite a bit of your spare time!
The Free Republic of Liberland
There is also the Free Republic of Liberland with its motto of “To live and let live.” It’s actually a micronation that claims a disputed plot of land on the western bank of the Danube River, between Croatia and Serbia. Its official language is English and it has a flag, a coat of arms, a constitution and laws. It prides itself on offering all its citizens personal and economic freedom and it is accepting applications for citizenship – you can even take a trial to play for its football team. Its economy runs on donations of Bitcoin and Bitcoin Cash and its founder Vit Jedlicka says, “If you are a cryptocurrency enthusiast and disappointed by the attitude of your country towards the emerging crypto assets, becoming a ‘citizen’ of Liberland can be an option for you.”
The Floating Island Project
And then, if you’re a fan of the sea there is the Floating Island Project in French Polynesia, which puts the concept of ‘seasteading’ at the heart of its philosophy. Founded by The Seasteading Institute, it aims to found an indefinite number of floating cities in and around French Polynesia, with the target-year for the establishment of its first city being 2022. The inaugural island will accommodate 300 houses and be making use of its very own cryptocurrency, named Varyon (VAR).
All of these nations are blockchain based, and each one believes that “we can do better with technology and innovation rather than ideology, politics and argumentation.” And, as Vit Jedlicka said, “It’s easier to create a new country than try to fix an existing one.”
Will existing governments tolerate the building of new nations n the blockchain? Only time will tell, but these first few could inspire many more people to create a micronation where innovation and new ideas can breathe. They may not be viable in the long run, but perhaps people will get sufficiently tired of the old nation-states to consider supporting them.