Dear Michael,

Thank you for taking the time to read my work and thank you for taking the time to post a well-thought out and reasoned response. You are correct in saying that one of primary concerns is that democracy and democratic institutions have continued to be undermined and will no doubt continue to be undermined. I believe that it was Winston Churchill who once famously said (although he is oft misquoted),

“Democracy is the worst form of government in the whole world, except for every other form of government.”

And therein lies the difficulty of democracy, let alone decentralization — which in and of itself is proving to be even more complex and divisive (as evidenced by the fractious and highly unproductive Bitcoin Cash war). While some will argue that the answer is greater centralization, I would suggest that such an approach is regressive, as evidenced by the political, economic and social circumstances of greater centralization and the backing of authoritarian strongmen in the run-up to World War 2. Instead, as improbable as it may seem, individuals and grassroots will need to become personally responsible and to take a greater interest in governance as well as governing. If nothing else, Bitcoin and Satoshi Nakamoto’s Bitcoin whitepaper laid the foundation for such a consideration. For what is existence if not a shade of economic life?

You are right in saying that it may not necessarily be a money problem per se, but at the very least, perhaps it may be that money can lead the solution. We have witnessed firsthand how corporations can no longer be counted on to provide for the necessities of life, nor was it ever their responsibility to do so. We have seen how they cannot be expected to behave in any way other than in their own self-interest. Perhaps government is the last shoe to fall. Against this backdrop, we have seen (from the mid-term elections and numerous other movements, including #metoo, the children against climate change and other grassroots movements) how the allegation that our youth our apathetic and disengaged is patently untrue. In fact, it has been our legacy institutions which have been on the defensive.

Yes, it may not be a “money problem,” but at least when you take money out of the equation, it can be part of the solution.

As always, I appreciate all of the feedback and the discussion, as it contributes to the debate and improves my understanding of the issues.

Happy holidays to you and your family and have a wonderful 2019!

Yours,

Patrick