Exploring Bitcoin’s Moral Imperative in 2021

[ad_1]

Perhaps no contributor to Bitcoin Magazine has explored the moral and ethical imperative of Bitcoin more in depth than Alex Gladstein.

Gladstein is the Director of Strategy for the Human Rights Foundation and he has also served as the Vice President of Strategy for the Oslo Freedom Forum since its inception in 2009. His unique ability to paint a detailed picture of the economic hardships people face in the world has opened the eyes of so many again this year. Bitcoin’s mission, as a tool of hope and the promotion of human freedom, is becoming increasingly evident to a wider audience, thanks to its contributions. It would be a missed opportunity not to review his foundational work which illustrated the need for Bitcoin as an open and neutral global currency for humanity.

Revision work

In April, Gladstein published “Bitcoin is a Trojan Horse for Freedom,” which explained how Bitcoin recruits individuals and nations to become promoters of freedom from tyranny and authoritarianism by triggering innate human emotions in self-preservation and greed – even if one has no altruism. . This is an important introduction to the game theory behind Bitcoin. It is unwavering that mathematics is designed to improve all of us. And in this way, we can promote human rights around the world.

His next contribution, “Uncovering The Hidden Costs Of The Petrodollar,” was a deep dive into the tarnished history behind the US dollar’s rise to global reserve currency status and its consequences for foreign policy, energy and l ‘environment. He described how the United States was able to maintain unparalleled and disproportionate economic dominance by using an exclusive military pact with Saudi Arabia that led the world to fix the price of oil in dollars and store American debt. While Bitcoin’s open transparency makes it an easy target for critics to bemoan its energy consumption, the damaging effects of the dollar are less visible. Gladstein’s essay was an important step forward in our understanding of why a dollar-based reserve currency is neither viable nor desirable for nations around the world.

In May, Gladstein’s “Check Your Financial Privilege” essay recalled anecdotes from emerging markets to illustrate how Bitcoin offers important and valuable use cases for those without the financial security that many of us have. take for granted in the Western world. Those who deride Bitcoin are often blinded by the fact that 87% of the planet lives under autocracy or is forced to use unreliable currencies. 4.3 billion people live under authoritarianism and 1.2 billion people live under double or triple-digit inflation. Examining how Bitcoin is used in countries such as Nigeria, Sudan, and Ethiopia has given readers a new perspective on why it is such an important release tool for so many. people around the world.

“The Humanitarian And Environmental Case For Bitcoin” examined issues of corruption and dependence on foreign aid, as well as how Bitcoin can foster renewable energy in developing countries. Indeed, much of the aid sent to emerging markets is pouring into the coffers of the elite. Gladstein argues that much of this corruption could be avoided with Bitcoin as the corruption-resistant payment rail. In addition, developing countries can break free from oppressive and corrupt sources of foreign aid by extracting value from stranded power, through Bitcoin mining.

A few weeks later, Gladstein took the opportunity to ask the President of El Salvador, Nayib Bukele, if his government had considered mining Bitcoin. Bukele replied that he hadn’t thought about it, but the question immediately made him realize that his country had untapped geothermal resources that could be used for mining. In November, El Salvador announced a $ 1 billion volcano bond.

In June, Gladstein interviewed Jack Dorsey at Bitcoin 2021 in Miami and discussed what made Dorsey focus on Bitcoin. The conversation covered a number of topics including Bitcoin’s crucial role in banking the unbanked, promoting financial rights in emerging markets, resisting censorship, resisting discrimination, self-policing. and human rights. The interview garnered international media attention and helped advance the narrative of Bitcoin’s humanitarian mission. In December, Dorsey would quit Twitter and turn her full attention to her newly renamed company, Spiral and Bitcoin.

Gladstein’s next essay, “Fighting Monetary Colonialism with Open-Source Code,” exposed the monetary colonialism of France which continues to exploit 15 African nations. He told how Senegalese families had lost 50% of their purchasing power overnight and explained in detail the insidious and unfair monetary and trade policies imposed by the CFA franc, in the context of a hidden colonialism that persists for years after decolonization. The exit from this oppression emerges a hopeful story, as Fodé Diop’s mission to bring Bitcoin to Senegal is told.

On Independence Day, “Bitcoin and the American Idea” gave readers an opportunity to reflect on the founding of America and the pressures that take us away from its cherished values. Recalling President Eisenhower’s farewell speech, we now have the benefit of hindsight to see Eisenhower’s fears realized by the rise of the military-industrial complex and Bitcoin emerge in response to these dark forces. Gladstein reminds us of Isaiah Jackson’s work explaining how Bitcoin can help uplift black Americans despite a discriminatory banking system that continues to fail the community. And we’ve heard from Al Mutar, who believes Bitcoin can help liberate people around the world and spread American values ​​more effectively than U.S. military campaigns ever can. We are left inspired by Bitcoin as a new statement of optimistic values ​​for the future of our civilization.

In late July, Gladstein explored the potential of Bitcoin to give Palestinians an opportunity for peaceful protest and sovereignty in response to the oppressive economic policies described in his essay, “Can Bitcoin be the currency of Palestine’s freedom?” While many people may be aware of the challenges of living in the Occupied Palestinian Territories, few are aware of the economic hardships that exacerbate already intolerable living conditions. Bitcoin, again, is touted as a solution that can help with overseas remittances, provide banking services, help prevent confiscation, and prevent the debasement of household wealth.

August ushered in “Inside Cuba’s Bitcoin Revolution,” which investigated the country’s human rights crisis and the growing revolution in the use of Bitcoin as a peaceful protest in response to oppressive economic policies. Gladstein summarizes the history and circumstances that led to the dire economic situation and the unfair role of the Cuban Convertible Peso (CUC) in daily life. Adopting Bitcoin allows Cuban citizens to bypass these difficulties and have a chance at economic sovereignty.

Then he published “Finding Financial Freedom in Afghanistan,” which tells the story of Roya Mahboob – the first female Afghan tech CEO and one of the first entrepreneurs to bring Bitcoin to Afghanistan. Once again we learn of the extreme economic collapse and hardship for the Afghan people and the crucial role Bitcoin can play in providing a lifeline.

In September, Gladstein reported on his travel experiences in “The Village and the Strongman: The Improbable History of Bitcoin and El Salvador” after visiting El Salvador to learn about its pioneering adoption of bitcoin as legal tender. We have learned of the proliferation of QR codes and Bitcoin ATMs coming to life in this largely unbanked country. He covered the rapid emergence of the Lightning Network within the country’s borders and national skepticism and opposition to the Bitcoin law and concerns about the country’s opportunist president.

In October, “The Quest For Digital Cash” gave us the detailed story of the cypherpunk movement and the evolution of Bitcoin carried out by Satoshi Nakamoto. Much of the digital privacy and encryption that we take for granted today can be attributed to this movement for individual sovereignty and human rights. By telling this story, readers receive a new appreciation for the sacrifices and efforts of this generation of crypto advocates. It shows readers that Bitcoin is the culmination of a long journey that dates back to the early days of the digital revolution.

“The End Of Super Imperialism” is Gladstein’s latest installment, released in November. Here we discover Michael Hudson’s book “Super Imperialism”, which documents the events that led to the dollar-dominated global economy and its tremendous impact. Much like the severe monetary colonialism of the CFA franc, the US dollar offers Americans exorbitant privilege at the expense of other nations. Gladstein’s account of Hudson’s work exposes the largely invisible effects of a dollar-based monetary system.

Gladstein’s prolific writing can be difficult to follow. Fortunately, Guy Swann recorded each of Gladstein’s trials on Bitcoin Audible.

His essays are virtually required reading for those who want to understand the moral argument for adopting a Bitcoin standard. They give readers a glimpse of regions, people, and economic hardships that many of us are privileged to ignore. The more we learn, the more we can begin to appreciate and understand that Bitcoin is far more important than any of us can imagine. These trials cement the crucial mission of bringing economic sovereignty to the world when it is needed most. We look forward to continuing this journey with Gladstein into 2022 and beyond. We can’t thank him enough for teaching us how much Bitcoin means so much to those outside of our lives and for envisioning a better future for humanity and individual human rights.

This is a guest post from Level39. The opinions expressed are entirely their own and do not necessarily reflect those of BTC Inc or Bitcoin Magazine.

[ad_2]