Network States

Although a relatively new concept, Network States have quickly become a household term with the publishing of Balaji Srinivasan’s book in 2022. The idea involves the creation of online-first communities that start offering governance services to their members of a higher standard than traditional states. When the community has then evolved its institutions to a high enough level, it may have enough of a stature and position in international relations to be able to acquire its own territory from existing states. Over time, this community would then move from the online world to the physical world.

Since the popularization of the term and the pathway to “start a new country” it lays out, many communities have sprung up attempting to grow and become Network States. Some of these have a defined goal to expand and protect individual rights and freedoms. If these communities ever achieve a self-governing status in the physical world, they will become Free Cities. On the other hand, there are also many fledgling Network States that have different priorities than upholding individual rights and freedoms. When it comes to this category, even if they end up successful, such projects cannot call themselves Free Cities.