Starting a New Country

📡 Cloud Cities: Network states start fresh as online communities united by a shared moral vision. Members use crypto to build trust and create a digital economy outside state control (and surveillance). As they grow, they crowdfund physical spaces to meet in real life. This creates a “network archipelago” – nodes across borders connected digitally.


Network states are a new form of global organization enabled by modern technology.

Traditionally, the world has been organized into geographic nation-states like the U.S., China, India, etc. Your citizenship and rights depended on where you were born.

But in a networked world, groups can now organize in new ways across national borders. Your identity and affiliations become more flexible.

Illustration from The Network State by Balaji Srinivasan

Think of how the internet allows online communities to form – like social media groups, Reddit threads, or crypto networks. Members are bound by shared values and interests rather than nationality.

Network states are similar. They are global networks of people aligned by a common purpose or belief system. Membership is voluntary and fluid rather than rigid.

For example, Bitcoin is a network state where participants are collaborating on building a digital currency. Anyone can join from anywhere.

Other examples are religious movements, political ideologies, cultural groups, or virtual worlds like the Metaverse.

Network states will co-exist with geographic nations. But they allow new freedoms and connections not limited by location. They expand your identity beyond just being a citizen of one country.

A still from Balaji’s presentation on Network States with Foresight Institute

This opens up new possibilities. But it also requires adapting our traditional concepts of governance, rights, and responsibilities.


Here are some key points about network states:

  • Decentralized governance: Network states are governed by citizens directly, or through representatives who are elected using zero-knowledge proofs. This allows citizens to participate in the decision-making process while maintaining their privacy.
  • Borderless citizenship: Citizens of network states can live and work anywhere in the world. This is because network states provide services such as education, healthcare, and security through digital networks.
  • Liquid democracy: Citizens of a network state can vote on issues directly, or they can delegate their votes to experts or representatives.
  • Network-based services: Network states would provide services to their citizens through digital networks, such as education, healthcare, and security. 💻🏥🚑

One of the key features of network states is that they are governed by citizens directly or through representatives who are elected using zero-knowledge proofs. This allows citizens to participate in the decision-making process while maintaining their privacy.

Another key feature of network states is that they are borderless. Citizens of network states can live and work anywhere in the world. This is because network states provide services such as education, healthcare, and security through digital networks.

Taken from Balaji’s presentation on Network States with Foresight Institute

The concept of network states is still in its early stages of development, but there are a number of experiments that are underway. One such experiment is Zuzalu, a community of 200 people from all over the world who came together in Montenegro to explore the concept of network states.

The Zuzalu experiment was a success, and it showed that the concept of network states is viable. It also showed that there are a number of challenges that need to be addressed before network states can become a reality. For example, it is not clear how network states would be able to provide public goods such as defense and infrastructure.

Despite the challenges, the concept of network states is important to consider as we think about the future of governance. In a world that is becoming increasingly digital and interconnected, network states may be the best way to meet the needs of our citizens.

Balaji has turned his attention to the creation a Network State, in particular a polis with a transhumanist mission “which starts with a virtual university, bootstraps a digital economy, and can be forked to create new opt-in polities.” Such “cloud cities” allow their members to collectively negotiate with existing jurisdictions and crowdfund territory in the real world.

FIN.