Resistance Money

by Andrew M. Bailey, Bradley Rettler, Craig Warmke

Bitcoin isn’t just for criminals, speculators, or wealthy Silicon Valley entrepreneurs — despite what the headlines say. In an imperfect world of rampant inflation, creeping authoritarianism, surveillance, censorship, and financial exclusion, bitcoin empowers individuals to elude the expanding reach and tightening grip of institutions both public and private. So, although bitcoin is money, it isn’t just money. Bitcoin is resistance money.

Resistance A Philosophical Case for Bitcoin begins by explaining why bitcoin was invented, how it works, and where it fits among other kinds of money. The authors then offer a framework for evaluating bitcoin from a global perspective, and use it to examine bitcoin’s monetary policy, censorship-resistance, privacy, inclusion, and energy use. The book develops a comprehensive and measured case that bitcoin is a net benefit to the world, despite its imperfections. Resistance Money is intended for all, from the clueless to the specialist, from the proponent to the die-hard skeptic, and everyone in between.

Key

Provides a philosophical approach that makes use of multiple disciplines in its analysisOffers a clearly written, measured academic treatment of bitcoin, comprehensive in scope, and free of ideological baggageIncludes information on the financial, social, and environmental costs of bitcoin, how these costs are sometimes exaggerated, and how they might be mitigatedAddresses the strongest arguments against bitcoin and shows how some succeed and most come up short.

Genres: Economics, Finance, Nonfiction, Philosophy, Technology, Politics

322 pages, Paperback

Published June 14, 2024

Reviews

[Jason · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is a thoughtful and nuanced journey through all the implications (both positive and negative) of Bitcoin the network and bitcoin the money, delivered through the lens of an excellent thought experiment designed to drive out as much personal bias as possible.

I've read a lot of books about Bitcoin, and I enjoyed this book significantly more than I expected to. I expected to find myself slogging through another dry read, but instead I found an engaging, funny, and exquisite set of arguments that kept me reading.

If, like me, you find a lot of the commonly available tropes about Bitcoin somewhat trite, unconvincing, or overtly biased, I humbly suggest you give this book a read.

Also, if you appreciate philosophy as the discipline of how to think carefully and conservatively, you'll really enjoy this treatment of the subject.

5 stars. Full send.

[Teresa Bowman · Rating 5 out of 5]

A solid overview of what bitcoin is amid the landscape of cryptocurrency and how it is distinctly different from other cryptocurrencies. I came away understanding much better how bitcoin works, why someone might use it or mine it as well as monetary systems in general and how bitcoin fits in as a unique kind of currency.

[Jared Townley · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is not about investing, it is not about monetary policy, or the “evil of the government”. Resistance money asks a simple question, “if you were to be born again into the world and you could not choose or decide where, would you prefer to live in a world with Bitcoin or without Bitcoin”. Through different lenses the authors are honest about the benefits and disadvantages of Bitcoin. If you are looking for a non-bias and philosophical take on Bitcoin, this is it.

[Joao · Rating 4 out of 5]

"Behind the veil" is an excellent philosophic exercise to take.

[Tom Crites · Rating 5 out of 5]

Read this and you'll buy BTC.

[Mark Berger · Rating 4 out of 5]

The case for Bitcoin when living under a spectrum of authoritarian governments. Bitcoin is a vital need for the 2-5 billion people who don't have basic freedoms or access to banking.

[Max McMullen · Rating 3 out of 5]

69/100