How do you build a new nation? History offers two proven models: the immediate exodus (Moses leading the Israelites) or gradual transition (the Mayflower colonists). Our second Edeneum salon explored which path modern network state founders should follow—and whether oppression is a prerequisite for political innovation.
Salon Materials
[Presentation] Complete presentation slides from Salon 002
[Watch] Full salon recording (~1 hour)
[Mint POAP] If you attended and were not able to mint your POAP, please reach out to me, Jim or Salman for these commemorative NFTs by Salman proving your participation.
You can also watch the recording and transcript on our Substack.
Now, let’s do a quick recap of this amazing salon.
The Core Framework: Two Models for Exit
The Moses Model: Complete Severance and Into the Desert
Immediate break from oppressive systems (Egypt)
Desert phase as "cloud space" for community building
Complete transformation of identity and governance
High risk, high reward approach requiring total commitment
The Mayflower Model: Gradual Transition
Maintaining nominal ties to existing power structures
Extended development period (~150 years to independence)
Physical infrastructure first, then political autonomy
Lower risk but longer timeline to sovereignty
Modern Application: Network states could follow either path—building digital communities first (Moses desert = cloud phase) or integrating with existing jurisdictions while developing autonomy.
The Great Debate: Is Oppression Required?
The salon's most contentious discussion centered on whether persecution drives innovation.
The "Oppression Required" Case
Witty Prince (Nigeria): "Bitcoin was literally a solution to a financial problem... Corruption is the oppression in Nigeria. When you live in such a country, you'll find it hard to access a lot of things that should already be provided."
Historical Evidence: Most successful state formations emerged from crisis—French Revolution, American independence, modern nation-states post-colonial struggles.
The Counter-Argument
Fritz (Peru): "You need both suffering AND technological innovation. Without technological innovation, you depend entirely on strong leader direction... We have the internet now—it's literally a jump of imagination."
Jim's Chinese Example: Ancient Chinese expansion often happened through strategic family placement rather than crisis response, suggesting multiple pathways exist.
Global Perspectives:
Learning from Real Exodus Events
India's Partition (1947)
Kate shared the powerful story of India's Independence Day (celebrated during our salon): "Over a million people walked across this border... families were torn apart because of intermarriage and ideology separation."
The daily ceremony at the India-Pakistan border demonstrates how former conflicts can transform into peaceful competition through human ingenuity.
Australia's Commonwealth Model
Kate's analysis: Australia followed the Mayflower model—gradual transition while maintaining legal and cultural ties to Britain, creating a successful federation approach.
Argentina's Mixed Model
Oriana described Argentina as combining both models: Spanish colonial legacy plus massive European immigration escaping wars, creating a unique cultural fusion.
Practical Insights: Building Your Network State
When asked "What would you do to start a network state tomorrow?", participants revealed diverse strategies:
Elektra's Physical-First Approach (via Kate)
Location strategy: Find areas with existing infrastructure but independent mindset (Western Australia)
Integration approach: Work with local communities rather than replacing them
Bottom-up building: Start with physical presence, build digital networks around it
Energy-Security-Food Foundation (Abeer)
"These are the three main things you really want to address as a priority... it's energy which powers whole society."
Ritual and Identity Formation (Alex)
"People have to have common rituals, to do something together in a recurring pattern... build a ritual that puts people together."
Voice Spotlight: Global Network State Builders
Fritz (Peru): "We have the most hated president in the world. Four presidents in prison at the same time... if someone says we created the first sovereign network, that's probably because we managed to abolish Congress here."
Witty Prince (Nigeria): "Future network states should try to build from the users in mind, instead of from their idea... You need to know the oppressed person you are sent to liberate."
Kate (Australia/Hong Kong): "When we look at the Commonwealth as a network, a successful network state... there are strengths we're leveraging without realizing it."
Alex (China/US): "There will be a lot of noise... 90% or more will be scams or very stupid ideas, but there's not much cost."
The Technology Factor
Fritz identified a crucial insight: "What happened in the French Revolution was they not only had suffering, they also had technological innovation. When those two things happen at the same time, things are about to change."
Historical Parallel: The printing press enabled the French Revolution by democratizing information. Today's internet and blockchain technologies may enable the network state revolution.
Key Takeaways
Multiple Valid Paths: Both Moses (immediate exit) and Mayflower (gradual transition) models offer viable strategies for network state formation
Context Determines Strategy: Your local circumstances—level of oppression, technological access, existing infrastructure—should guide which model to follow
Technology Changes Everything: Modern tools remove many historical barriers but may create "noise" problems with too many low-quality attempts
Foundation Priorities: Energy, food security, and shared rituals remain fundamental regardless of which model you choose
User-Centric Design: Successful network states will solve real problems for specific communities rather than pursuing abstract ideals
Resources & Deep Dives
a. Essential Reading List
Harvey Mansfield's "Student's Guide to Political Philosophy"
Balaji Srinivasan's "The Network State"
Aristotle’s The Organon
b. Study Groups on Luma
Join me on the path to human perfection:
Logic (Aristotle's complete Organon)
Mathematics
Natural Sciences
Divine Science/Metaphysics
Join Menaחem’s study on logic with Aristotle's Organon on Luma.
The Organon Curriculum by Aristotle (more in Notion)
Political Philosophy Curriculum (more in Notion)
"The first order of governance is with yourself.
You are the first city to conquer."
Next Steps - Looking Ahead: Salon 003
Coming Next Month: Deep dive into Thucydides and ancient Greek city-state models for network communities. How do ancient migration patterns and identity formation apply to modern digital nomads?
Special Recognition
Thanks to Salman for creating our commemorative POAP NFT and to Kate for sharing the powerful India Independence Day perspective during our salon.
Happy Independence Day to our Indian community members—a perfect real-world example of successful nation-state formation!
P.S. Fritz's prediction about Peru may be worth watching—when a country has 90%+ disapproval ratings and four presidents in prison simultaneously, it becomes a real-world laboratory for alternative governance models.
