Blockchain Radicals: How Capitalism Ruined Crypto and How to Fix It

by Joshua Dávila

Blockchain Radicals uncovers the radical political potential of the blockchain, showing how it can be used by the left in the fight against capitalism.

Over the last decade, blockchains and crypto have opened up a new terrain for political action. It is not surprising, however, that the crypto space has also become overrun by unscrupulous marketing, theft and scams. The problem is real, but it isn't a new one. Capitalism has ruined crypto, but that shouldn't be the end of it.

Blockchain Radicals shows us how this has happened, and how to fix crypto in a way that is understandable for those who have never owned a cryptocurrency as well as those who are building their own decentralised applications. Covering everything from how Bitcoin saved WikiLeaks to decentralised finance, worker cooperatives, the environmental impact of Bitcoin and NFTs, and the crypto commons, it shows how these new tools can be used to challenge capitalism and build a better world for all of us.

While crypto is often thought of as being synonymous with unbridled capitalism, Blockchain Radicals shows instead how the technology can and has been used for more radical purposes, beyond individual profit and towards collective autonomy.

Genres: Economics

362 pages, Kindle Edition

Published August 8, 2023

Reviews

[Christopher Hudson Jr. · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book is the antidote to both shady right-wing crypto hype-men and uninformed leftist tech criticism. A solid explainer of blockchain, its related technology, and their egalitarian and liberatory potential.

[Spencer Knechtel · Rating 3 out of 5]

An informative read about the blockchain from an economic left POV. Through careful critical and systematic analysis of technological trends and their relation to existing capitalist structures, this piece shows how we ought to try to understand crypto as a potential tool to be used in a cooperative sense. If reclaimed, it has massive potential to ensure a decentralized way of living and further security from authoritative forces.

[ALKOHLMIST · Rating 5 out of 5]

perfect and sober minded material/marxist analysis of the Blockchain/web3/DAO space. Features both analysis of the good, cybernetic and regenerative projects in the space, juxtaposed vs all the bad, hyper-capitalist and degenerative $hit coin stuff + how we can change it IF we put our efforts into it!

[Matt Glaman · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book takes the reader down the path of explaining the concepts of money, currency, banking and their relationship to Blockchain and why that relationship isn't concrete. It explores new ways to organize and operate with capabilities that blockchains provide and encourages thinking outside of preconceived notions.

[Bob · Rating 1 out of 5]

The fact that a nominally left press put out this book shows that all hope is lost, the North Atlantic left will never win even a modicum of social benefit for real people, will never even slow climate change, & will only hasten the world's descent into either nuclear war or a technofeudal hellscape or maybe both

[eoᵹ̇an · Rating 3 out of 5]

While the book provides a good descriptions of many interesting crypto projects, it falls short of its main goal: convincing leftist readers why they should care about cryptocurrency beyond a few niche cases. I would recommend the review here which echoes many of the same critiques I had had: https://theluddite.org/post/blockchai...

[Paul · Rating 1 out of 5]

I was expecting some sort of socialism. I got hard core capitalism.