The Network State by Amia Srinivasan

How to Start a New Country

This book argues that advances in the internet, crypto, and coordination technologies make it possible to build opt-in, cloud-first communities that can develop into sovereign entities. It lays out a playbook for founding such groups: rally around a shared moral innovation, quantify progress with transparent metrics, establish a digital economy, form physical clusters via crowdfunding, and ultimately seek diplomatic recognition. Combining political theory with startup strategy, it critiques legacy nation-states and envisions competitive, voluntary polities that attract members by delivering better governance and accountability.