Bitcoin Embodies America’s Founding Principles: Human Rights Foundation

Alex Gladstein – CSO of the Human Rights Foundation – thinks bitcoin symbolizes some of the USA’s values based on the Declaration of Independence: free speech, property rights, and open capital markets.

He argued that the primary cryptocurrency could thrive in democracies and struggle in totalitarian countries.

‘It’s Financial Privilege’ 

In a recent episode of Simply Bitcoin, Alex Gladstein presented himself as a keen advocate of the leading digital asset and pointed out its main benefits. He believes it can fix damaged democracies and give people a financial alternative during the current turbulence. 

Gladstein sees it as an embodiment of liberty, free speech, and decentralization, meaning it could flourish in democratic nations. On the other hand, it has a slight chance of success in “tyrannies and police states” that prefer to surveil people and restrict their monetary freedom. 

“I think bitcoin fixes democracy… because I think democracies have been disabled and infected with fiat currency essentially, and I think they’ll be much better off on the other side, whereas I think tyrannies and police states are going to have a really hard time on the bitcoin standard.”

Some totalitarian countries he gave as an example are China and Russia. The former’s authorities imposed a blanket ban on all cryptocurrency operations in 2021, while the world’s largest nation by land mass is also quite hostile to the asset class. 

Gladstein regretted that the US, specifically the SEC, has been cracking down on the industry lately. In his view, domestic miners and developers will start migrating to other countries if the regulator does not soften its stance. 

Despite becoming the first nation to declare BTC legal tender, Gladstein warned people to avoid El Salvador as a future destination because of the authoritarian political regime there:

“Just know that you are there for the pleasure of the ruler, and as soon as they are tired of you, they are going to get rid of you.”

Bitcoin Could Eradicate Communism

Francis Suarez – the mayor of Miami – shares a similar view, claiming BTC has the “incredible power to liberate people” and the potential to democratize their choices. He also believes it could “peacefully eradicate communism on the planet.”

Under his rule, the financial heart of Florida has turned into a blockchain hub, while Suarez became the first American politician to receive his salary in bitcoin. Recently, he revealed that he keeps getting his earnings in BTC instead of dollars.