DDIntel - Democratic Norms, Web3 Tech, and Investment Tips for Young People

Since the birth of democracy in ancient Greece, the political philosophy has seen iterations and interpretations that have shaped much of the world for centuries. However, at its core, the fundamentals of democracy always remain the same. That being transparency, accountability, and the capacity to shape how an organization, government, or state behaves. Over recent times, the world’s faith in democracy has been shaken. Across the last 150 years, communism has risen in the east, with states like China adopting communist principles with capitalistic tendencies. 

Likewise, authoritarianism has sprouted not just in Asia but in the middle east and now Europe, with the Russian Ukraine war. Once again, authoritarianism is rearing its ugly head, threatening democracy in the state of Ukraine. Geopolitically, democracy is battling autocratic ideologies, hell-bent on taking center stage. Digitally, democracy is also fighting this battle, and it is winning this one. 

The emergence of the decentralized nature of the blockchain and democratic norms through the ideas of the DAO has seen democracy sprout new forms digitally. The DAO or Decentralized Autonomous Organisation has seen democratic principles enshrined in organizations powered on the blockchain. The DAO ensures that its members behave transparently and responsibly, guaranteeing that all actions are democratic.

These organizations are not only powering Web3 but the future of humankind and its politics. In this issue of DDIntel, we will dive into these initiatives. We also give insight into past economics of history, the use of VR in social media, and more. We hope you enjoy our selection this week.

Corinne Davis is a research economist studying social science and politics. Having graduated with a master’s degree in international business and environmental management, Corinne has a vast range of experience in business, economics, and the environment.

She has a deep understanding of economics and historical events affecting social and political landscapes. She also analyses the social-economical impacts of political decisions. Corrine can help you with business intelligence, analytics, economics, and energy and resources. Book a DDIChat session with her today.

Harry S Truman is a US president known for many things, but an economic crisis isn’t one of them. Truman began the nuclear arms race with the USSR. He is also the president who infamously implemented the Marshal Plan in Europe and established NATO. Thus, Truman is well known for his wartime and post-war conflicts, rather than dealing with economics and the purse strings of the American population. However, his economics and the crises that ensued post-war have long been forgotten. Simon Constable gives us the rundown on Harry S Truman’s economic problems. It is a fascinating read suitable for you history buffs.

The DAO is a relatively new concept in the blockchain space. You’ve probably heard the term being flaunted about on social media and web 2.0. But what is it? Otherwise known as the decentralized autonomous organization, DAO is a virtual organization that is transparent and democratic due to the power of smart contracts on the blockchain. It is a novel and interesting concept that has seen huge success in recent months. Examples include the Ukraine DAO, which has raised around $7 million in funds for war relief. Henrique Centieiro gives us more insight into what a DAO is and its use.

Over the last few decades, software creation has come leaps and bounds. From the development of mainframes to servers and cloud-based applications, software development has evolved substantially to become more accessible. With the rise of the blockchain and decentralized organizations like the DAO mentioned above, software development will transform again. Web3 promises a permissionless developer platform that will change software development for good. Adam Soffer explains more, and boy, it’s exciting!

The Ukraine Russian war has led to significant market shocks, with fiat and cryptocurrency taking a huge dive. Currently, both are on their way up, with Bitcoin valuing at around the $40,000 mark. Despite this, many think cryptocurrency is dead. In his insightful article above, crypto expert Stephen Dalton explains why he disagrees cryptocurrency is dead and seven cryptocurrencies he believes you should invest in right now. There is no better time to invest with the US government finally taking cryptocurrency seriously. 

Most of us nowadays get our information from blogs and online media consortiums. Blogs offer a powerful way to provide unbiased perspectives, away from media so polarised by politics. Likewise, due to the rise of NFTs, and nontraditional forms of acquisitions, investment blogs have been on the uptake. Carlos Pascual outlines the five best investment blogs every individual should read if they want to invest and maximize their returns. If you are an investor or looking to invest some capital, this article is the perfect read for you.

Virtual reality will be one of the cornerstones of the Metaverse and Web3. Currently, VR technology is underpowered, but soon we will see this technology transform marketing and the social media experience. Meta is just one example of this. Meta head Mark Zuckerberg seeks to alter the Facebook platform using his Oculus VR technology. Terry Tateossian gives us more insight into how virtual reality will shape social media. We will see how VR, AR, and mixed reality will shape our social lives in the future. These technologies offer the next steps in our evolution as a society.

Off-the-cuff investments are prevalent among young people. Whether through NFT acquisition or endless hours on the stock exchange, young people are investing more than ever. However, young people should be investing in more than just digital assets. They should be putting money into their education, business, and financial assets. Tavian Jean-Pierre explains why it is important to invest in these three categories at a young age. Likewise, he clarifies what young people should steer away from in terms of investment.

Covid-19 has become part of everyday life in much of the western world. We have learned to live with the virus, with many given a choice not to wear masks while governments are reducing social distancing measures. Thus the world is returning to normal in the west. However, this is not the case for many in the world. For example, in much of Asia, they are still grappling with the pandemic. Surprisingly, in China, the birthplace of the virus, another wave of Covid-19 has hit the nation. As a result, there is a new covid lockdown in China, imposed on 37 million people, despite low numbers of cases. Slashdotted explains more and how it has impacted Apple’s main suppliers.