The hottest Governance Substack posts right now

And their main takeaways
Category
Top Technology Topics

Am I an anarchist?

The Novelleist • 304 implied HN points • 22 Nov 24
📖 Philosophy Governance
  1. Small communities can self-govern effectively, but larger groups may need some form of governance to ensure good behavior among members. This raises questions about whether a decentralized system still counts as anarchist.
  2. People want similar goals across different ideologies, like a more equitable and environmentally conscious society. The focus should be on improving our current systems rather than starting from scratch.
  3. Open borders could change the dynamics of power between countries. If people can easily leave bad governments, those governments might be less likely to wage war or act poorly to keep their citizens.

The Zohran Age

Political Currents by Ross Barkan • 13 implied HN points • 02 Jan 26
🇺🇸 U.S. Politics Governance
  1. Zohran Mamdani was sworn in as New York City mayor in a symbolic midnight ceremony, and his victory feels like a new political era that would have seemed unlikely a year ago. He still comes across as humble and connected to everyday life rather than a distant, self-important politician.
  2. He identifies as a democratic socialist, is openly pro-Palestine, and looks to Bernie Sanders as a guide, campaigning on populist promises to uplift working-class New Yorkers. Early priorities he’s pushed include universal childcare, free buses, rent freezes for rent‑stabilized apartments, and a Department of Community Safety pairing mental health professionals with police.
  3. His initial hires have mostly been cautious and conventional to reassure moderates, though one appointee resigned over past offensive tweets. He intends to move quickly, but governing New York is complex and he’ll face major challenges working with conservative institutions and many unknown variables.

DOGE this

bad cattitude • 302 implied HN points • 23 Nov 24
🇺🇸 U.S. Politics Governance
  1. The growing belief is that cutting back government regulations can lead to more freedom and innovation. People think reducing the power of bureaucracies might actually help the economy.
  2. There's a debate about whether the current federal system should be preserved or changed. Some feel the government needs major reform to better serve the people.
  3. Recent court rulings suggest that agencies can't make big decisions without input from Congress. This could shift control back to the people and limit unchecked power from these agencies.

Committee size is the same as efficiency: the central bank versus the legislature

Demodexio • 264 implied HN points • 02 Jan 25
🇺🇸 U.S. Politics Governance
  1. Smaller committees are usually more efficient than larger ones. A tiny group can make decisions faster than a big group full of different opinions.
  2. Fiscal policy can be more effective than monetary policy, especially during tough economic times. Governments can take action on economic issues more quickly when they have a smaller legislative body.
  3. To manage complex government tasks better, we might need more specialized committees. A focus on smaller, efficient groups could help create better laws and address the needs of a diverse society.

The Governance Gap

DeFi Education • 299 implied HN points • 02 Jun 23
🔮 Crypto Governance
  1. In DeFi, there can be big differences between what token holders think and what really happens in a project. This disconnect is called the Governance Gap.
  2. Business disputes in DeFi can be tricky because the anonymity of participants and access to important tech can change the game. It's not like regular business where there's a clear chain of accountability.
  3. Legal issues in DeFi are complicated and often unclear. It's essential to work with lawyers who understand blockchain and decentralized organizations to navigate these challenges.
Get a weekly roundup of the best Substack posts, by hacker news affinity:

Announcing The 1991 Fellowship

Get Down and Shruti • 5 implied HN points • 25 Jan 26
🌍 World Politics Governance
  1. A three-year fellowship will fund and train early-career people to work full-time on state-level policy reform, with stipends that increase each year and structured programming.
  2. The program prioritizes practical, state-specific deregulation projects—like land use, labor laws, building codes, licensing, and energy—and favors proposals that show a clear path to real implementation rather than just analysis.
  3. Fellows receive mentorship, introductions to officials and media, and can attach to local institutions in later years; applications are open Jan 15–Feb 28 with selections by early summer and the fellowship starting in July 2026.

What do YOU think of Donald Trump's 2025?

Unreported Truths • 25 implied HN points • 24 Nov 25
🇺🇸 U.S. Politics Governance
  1. Some people feel disappointed with Trump's performance, giving him a low grade due to issues like inflation and healthcare costs.
  2. There's a belief that Trump is more focused on showbiz and parties than on serious policy changes.
  3. Many fans of Trump are unhappy with how things have progressed over the past year, especially concerning essential living costs.

Behemoth or Leviathan?

Unpopular Front • 75 implied HN points • 30 Jul 25
🇺🇸 U.S. Politics Governance
  1. The idea of 'regulation by deal' is gaining traction, where power dynamics influence rules instead of fair processes. This shift can undermine academic freedom and create fear in society.
  2. Modern governance is messy and often lacks consistency, blurring the lines between law, regulation, and governance. This makes it harder to understand how power operates in contemporary settings.
  3. Fascism might emerge from the contradictions within liberal society. The competitive nature of capitalism can lead to a breakdown in orderly governance, paving the way for more aggressive power structures.

Are California’s environmental reforms a model for the ‘Abundance Agenda?’

Urben Field Notes • 91 implied HN points • 09 Jul 25
🇺🇸 U.S. Politics Governance
  1. California is focusing on housing and advanced manufacturing with its new environmental reforms. This shows a different way of governing that prioritizes specific goals over a wide range of interests.
  2. The reforms include exemptions for building new housing without stringent environmental reviews. This aims to make housing more affordable while also helping the environment by promoting denser living areas.
  3. However, some worry that the reforms might harm environmental protections. Balancing housing needs with environmental care remains a challenge as leaders push for change.

It’s Getting Hard to Take the FIFA Peace Prize Seriously

I Might Be Wrong • 10 implied HN points • 06 Jan 26
🎾 Sports Governance
  1. Awarding the FIFA Peace Prize to a leader who later orders military action and issues threats makes the prize look hollow and undermines its claim to honor real peacemakers.
  2. FIFA’s reputation for fairness and probity is at risk, raising doubts that the prize process could involve cynical deal‑making or corruption.
  3. If high-profile awards come to be seen as vanity or puffery, people may stop trusting prizes and the institutions that hand them out, eroding their cultural value.

Governing the Commons

Knowledge Problem • 137 implied HN points • 15 Nov 23
🚌 Education Governance
  1. Understanding the importance of property rights in economic exchange and market function
  2. Exploring Elinor Ostrom's work on managing shared resources through governance frameworks
  3. Recognizing the value of polycentric governance for addressing collective action problems in complex systems

This Hideous Moment!

Daniel Pinchbeck’s Newsletter • 15 implied HN points • 12 Dec 25
🇺🇸 U.S. Politics Governance
  1. We are on a dangerous new threshold where fast-moving technologies — AI, biotech, weaponized drones, and mass surveillance — combined with extreme corruption could push society toward a technocratic, totalitarian spiral. Most people lack the language or awareness to grasp how quickly this is happening.
  2. Some observers feel a strange mix of anxiety and exhilaration, taking on a prophetic or witness role and using intense study and tools like AI to synthesize information, even while their warnings are often ignored. They maintain a sense of mission and detachment amid the upheaval.
  3. The future is highly uncertain: it could lead to catastrophe (war, ecological collapse, engineered annihilation) or to a post-technological shift toward small, regenerative, networked communities; this unpredictability highlights the need for greater public awareness and resilient alternatives.

AI regulation stans should fix corporatism first

Sex and the State • 13 implied HN points • 18 Dec 25
🇺🇸 U.S. Politics Governance
  1. Most people don't trust elected officials and believe politicians favor elites over ordinary voters, so they're skeptical the government can fairly regulate AI.
  2. Regulations often end up helping big companies because they can absorb compliance costs, so AI rules risk entrenching incumbents, killing innovation, and raising prices.
  3. Many proposed AI laws focus on problems that are minor or hard to solve and ignore bigger issues like rising energy costs, so fixing corporatism and rebuilding trust should come before broad AI regulation.

Links to Consider, 11/10/2024

In My Tribe • 273 implied HN points • 10 Nov 24
🇺🇸 U.S. Politics Governance
  1. The connection between the government and society has grown stronger over the last 30 years, changing how power is used and its effects on freedom.
  2. There is a growing concern that the people in charge of local businesses no longer represent the interests of their communities, leading to a disconnect in local governance.
  3. Technology may challenge our ability to grasp complex issues, which makes the idea of limited government even more important to protect individual freedoms.

Anti-migration bill fails German Bundestag after Merkel denounces CDU cooperation with AfD and the left break out in widespread protests

eugyppius: a plague chronicle • 205 implied HN points • 31 Jan 25
🇺🇸 U.S. Politics Governance
  1. An anti-migration bill in Germany failed to pass, highlighting deep divisions between political parties. Many protests erupted against the CDU after Angela Merkel criticized their cooperation with the AfD.
  2. The failed bill has hurt CDU leadership, particularly Friedrich Merz, who faces backlash from both leftist groups and critics within his own party. His inability to deliver on migration policy raises questions about his future.
  3. The political climate is tense, with leftist parties seeing an opportunity to rally against the CDU. The situation suggests growing support for the AfD as more voters may lean towards right-wing parties due to migration issues.

Uniswap - Getting Rid of CEX

DeFi Education • 1238 implied HN points • 23 Jul 21
🔮 Crypto Governance
  1. Uniswap is a decentralized exchange that allows trading without a middleman. This means users can trade ERC-20 tokens directly on the Ethereum network.
  2. Uniswap uses a governance token called UNI, which gives users a say in how the platform operates. This helps build a community around the exchange.
  3. The goal of Uniswap is to offer more freedom and privacy in trading, moving away from centralized exchanges (CEX) that can be restrictive. It aims to give users control over their assets.

Fourth Industrial Revolution and End of Empire

Who is Robert Malone • 15 implied HN points • 13 Dec 25
🌍 World Politics Governance
  1. Advances in AI and computing could make human labor economically irrelevant, with growth driven by computational capacity and the owners of that compute gaining outsized power.
  2. The internet and social platforms are fracturing culture into echo chambers and digital tribes, creating communication breakdowns and fragmented realities like a modern Tower of Babel.
  3. Large-scale migration combined with mismanagement, corruption, or excessive empathy can destabilize societies, turning displacement into internal collapse rather than an external invasion.

PROJECT SYNDICATE: American Idiots

Brad DeLong's Grasping Reality • 222 implied HN points • 23 Dec 24
🇺🇸 U.S. Politics Governance
  1. There was a recent chaotic event in U.S. politics that hints at possible future issues under a second Trump administration. This involved key figures like Elon Musk and Donald Trump arguing about a government funding bill.
  2. In the end, a deal was reached by some congressional leaders, but it showed how easily politicians can be swayed by people like Musk, even when they spread false information.
  3. Overall, the way politics is handled nowadays resembles a wrestling match more than a serious governing process, making it hard for voters to trust their leaders and their decisions.

Mere Anarchy.

Trying to Understand the World • 7 implied HN points • 14 Jan 26
🌍 World Politics Governance
  1. Extreme individualism and symbolic politics have eroded social bonds and public institutions, encouraging short‑term ego gratification over collective responsibility.
  2. Political elites have become a conformist, self‑protecting 'Party' that polices belief, refuses to persuade or address ordinary people's concerns, and so hollow out politics until outsiders and protest movements gain ground.
  3. As legitimacy and state capacity decline, governments risk being unable to contain mass unrest, leaving power vacuums that criminal groups, religious extremists, or hard‑right actors can fill and produce localized anarchy and instability.

Universal Basic Income is the First Great Lie

PashaNomics • 2 implied HN points • 13 Feb 26
🇺🇸 U.S. Politics Governance
  1. Universal Basic Income is often the wrong response to automation and usually ignores where money actually comes from, making its economics incoherent. Large-scale UBI would amount to wealth redistribution and can create fiscal and demographic instability that makes it unsustainable.
  2. Funding UBI by heavily taxing AI firms is flawed because of the circular flow of money: taxes just shift money that must still come from somewhere, and AI value doesn’t always translate into large corporate profits due to costs, competition, and taxes.
  3. Universal Basic Shares is a proposed alternative where everyone owns one government share that pays dividends from annual surpluses, which aligns incentives for an efficient state. Paired with a simple uniform tax, it aims to preserve some egalitarian benefits without the destabilizing effects of broad redistribution.

The Great Curve Wars

DeFi Education • 959 implied HN points • 23 Nov 21
🔮 Crypto Governance
  1. Curve Finance is a key player in decentralized finance, focusing on stable asset trading which helps keep stablecoin prices steady. It does this by incentivizing people to provide liquidity through its governance token, CRV.
  2. The governance of Curve is heavily influenced by veCRV holders who can vote on important decisions. Accumulating these tokens has led to a competitive scene, called the Curve Wars, where different protocols try to gain the most influence.
  3. Convex Finance is a major player in this competition, letting CRV holders stake their tokens for rewards while giving up governance rights. This strategy has shifted the balance of power in the Curve ecosystem, making CVX a valuable asset.

Updating the Constitution

God's Spies by Thomas Neuburger • 110 implied HN points • 20 May 25
🇺🇸 U.S. Politics Governance
  1. The U.S. Constitution has flaws that let a small number of people hold a lot of power. This can affect how fair and representative the government is for everyone.
  2. Various groups have changed the Constitution over the years, impacting democracy and people's rights. This includes influences from security measures, economic policies, and executive powers.
  3. There’s a push to make the unofficial changes to the Constitution official. This could lead to big shifts in how laws are applied or understood in the country.

Why I Think Alexander Hamilton's Big Constitutional Convention Speech Is Worth Reading Today

Brad DeLong's Grasping Reality • 192 implied HN points • 17 Jan 25
🇺🇸 U.S. Politics Governance
  1. Hamilton's big speech at the Constitutional Convention is important because it shows his true thoughts on government and leadership. He believed in strong national leadership, even suggesting that Washington should be a monarch.
  2. Current political systems from the 1960s and even the founding era have not worked well, leading to frustration with both leftist and centrist politicians. There's a need for a better approach to ensure government truly reflects the people's needs.
  3. The discussion about democracy today often misses the point. It's not just about people expressing their views, but also about having representatives who really listen and act on those values.

The Healing Power of Ridicule

Slack Tide by Matt Labash • 195 implied HN points • 21 Jan 25
🇺🇸 U.S. Politics Governance
  1. Laughing at difficult situations, like politics, can be very helpful. Humor helps us cope with the stress that comes from these challenges.
  2. Everything, including tough political situations, eventually comes to an end. It's important to hold on to the belief that change is possible.
  3. Ridicule can be a powerful tool for critiquing behavior and attitudes. It can help us highlight issues in a way that's both effective and entertaining.

The Politics Of Destruction.

Trying to Understand the World • 8 implied HN points • 07 Jan 26
🌍 World Politics Governance
  1. Organizations naturally drift toward disorder if you don't put steady effort into them, so politics, militaries and public services need continuous training, leadership and maintenance to stay effective.
  2. Short-term careerism, managerial targets, legalistic controls and a wider cultural nihilism have eroded public ethos and institutional performance in the West, often actively accelerating that decay.
  3. If destruction and neglect continue, political vacuums will form and be filled by forces that may be dangerous, so the cure is long-term commitment: restore purpose, institutional integrity and sustained investment in people and practices.

No LOVE at Maker

DeFi Education • 599 implied HN points • 12 Jul 22
🔮 Crypto Governance
  1. A big loan proposal was approved at MakerDAO, even though some people had serious worries about it. This shows that sometimes, important decisions in finance can happen without enough scrutiny from all members.
  2. The decision-making process at MakerDAO is influenced by a few powerful individuals who hold a lot of MKR, which can lead to unfair practices if not balanced.
  3. There was an experimental group, called the Lending Oversight (LOVE) unit, which raised objections to the loan, but their concerns were overlooked, highlighting a gap in governance within the organization.

How Closely Does the Classical Populism of the Tyrannoi Rhyme with Contemporary Populist "Demagoguery" Anyway?

Brad DeLong's Grasping Reality • 253 implied HN points • 03 Nov 24
🇺🇸 U.S. Politics Governance
  1. Populism has a history of connecting leaders with the people's needs. Unlike some modern populists, historical figures often focused on clear policy goals that aimed to help the public.
  2. Modern political movements sometimes rely more on fear and division rather than serving the public's needs. This shift can lead to leaders who promise protection without actual improvement in people's lives.
  3. The way people view historical figures like Andrew Jackson can change based on the context of their actions, showing that understanding history requires looking at both policies and motivations.

If You're An Authoritarian Peckerhead Who Keeps An Enemies List.....

Slack Tide by Matt Labash • 244 implied HN points • 19 Nov 24
🇺🇸 U.S. Politics Governance
  1. If someone is keeping an enemies list, it's a sign of authoritarian behavior. That means they want to punish people for having different opinions.
  2. Being part of an enemies list shows you're standing up against un-American actions. It's important to be clear where you stand on these issues.
  3. Making fun of those in power, especially if they act unseriously, helps people see the absurdity of their actions. Humor can be a tool for resistance.

Pardon The Death Of Liberal Democracy

The Weekly Dish • 94 implied HN points • 30 May 25
🇺🇸 U.S. Politics Governance
  1. Trump's use of his pardon power is changing how we view the rule of law in America. It's making people question the fairness of justice.
  2. The concept of liberal democracy is at risk due to actions that bypass legal accountability. This could affect everyone's rights and freedoms.
  3. There’s a growing concern about maintaining democratic values in politics. Many people feel these values are being undermined by recent political moves.

Can open societies survive?

Hypertext • 59 implied HN points • 27 Feb 24
📖 Philosophy Governance
  1. Liberal democracies have faced challenges in recent years due to the rise of ideologies hostile to the liberal order, resulting in increased doubt among defenders of liberal democracy
  2. In his final work, Gerald Gaus argued that open societies can address challenges through a liberal framework and highlighted the importance of public justification for moral justification in a diverse society
  3. Gaus proposed that open societies, despite facing complexity and governance issues, can succeed through bottom-up moral reasoning, local-level social contracts, and reliance on markets and democracy for collective self-governance

Liquity: Don't Chicken Out of Stables

DeFi Education • 479 implied HN points • 27 Sep 22
🔮 Crypto Governance
  1. Liquity is a unique stablecoin protocol that operates without governance, making it fully decentralized. This means no single entity can control it, which adds to its security.
  2. The only accepted collateral for Liquity is Ethereum (ETH), which is a distinctive feature compared to other stablecoins that might accept various assets.
  3. Despite recent challenges in the stablecoin market, it's important to stay informed and explore options like Liquity for stablecoin needs. They still hold potential value in the DeFi space.

Anatomy of Market Failure IV: Ostrom and Governance

Knowledge Problem • 137 implied HN points • 20 Sep 23
🔬 Science Governance
  1. Property rights play a crucial role in discussions about market failure and influence institutional choices.
  2. Common-pool resources often have ill-defined property rights, leading to governance challenges but offering opportunities for diverse institutional solutions.
  3. Elinor Ostrom's work emphasizes the importance of recognizing and addressing ill-defined property rights to achieve effective environmental policy outcomes.

The Energizing Clarity Of Democracy

The Weekly Dish • 236 implied HN points • 08 Nov 24
🇺🇸 U.S. Politics Governance
  1. Democracy can bring a sense of energy and clarity to political events. It helps people understand their roles and responsibilities in society.
  2. Elections are important moments for reflecting on the future of the nation. They reveal the hopes and concerns of the people.
  3. Engagement in democracy can lead to a stronger community. When people participate, they contribute to shaping the world around them.

The Zohran Mamdani Machine

Political Currents by Ross Barkan • 13 implied HN points • 16 Dec 25
🇺🇸 U.S. Politics Governance
  1. Huey Long shows how a charismatic, mid-30s populist can overthrow entrenched elites and quickly deliver massive public works, schools, hospitals, and programs for the poor. He combined mass popularity with savvy use of media, patronage, and state power to get things done.
  2. Long’s record mixes real material gains with strongman tactics — intimidation, control of the press, patronage, and alleged fraud — which is why historians warn about demagoguery even as they acknowledge his achievements.
  3. Zohran Mamdani arrives with a rare mass base and has tried a coalition-building, accommodationist approach with elites, but to realize big social-democratic reforms he may eventually need to wield both carrots and sticks while operating within the limits of mayoral and state power.

Don’t Fight Populism — Let It Fail on Its Own

American Dreaming • 169 implied HN points • 27 Jan 25
🇺🇸 U.S. Politics Governance
  1. Populism has been a recurring theme in American politics, often rising during times of crisis. The electorate seems to keep returning to populism, showing a strong desire for change.
  2. Instead of fighting against populism, letting it play out might allow people to see its true effects and failures. This could help break the ongoing cycle of discontent and disillusionment with politics.
  3. If traditional institutions keep obstructing populism, it may lead to stronger support for these movements in the future. People need to see whether populism truly works or not, rather than having it stifled before it can fully unfold.

Beyond Super Intelligence: re-sovereignising a planetary commons

Anima Mundi • 61 implied HN points • 20 Jul 25
🕹 Technology Governance
  1. Artificial Super Intelligence (ASI) is coming, and we need to change how we govern it. Current systems are not ready for the fast changes that ASI will bring.
  2. There is a new need for data and energy fairness. ASI relies heavily on natural resources, and we must ensure that these resources are used justly without harming communities.
  3. Instead of allowing a few to control ASI, we should aim for a shared governance model. This means working together to create systems that benefit everyone, not just the powerful.

War Games

KERFUFFLE • 75 implied HN points • 16 Jun 25
🇺🇸 U.S. Politics Governance
  1. In the past, wars were mainly fought by nobles and kings, and most ordinary people didn't really feel their impact. Only those directly involved, like conscripted soldiers or victims of invasions, had a personal stake in these conflicts.
  2. With modern warfare, everyone has a role because governments mobilize entire populations. Propaganda became essential to get the public's support, especially when fighting wars that did not directly threaten their everyday lives.
  3. Now, the justifications for war often feel disconnected from the average person's reality. Many people sense that current conflicts are driven more by the interests of powerful leaders rather than genuine threats to their lives.

Introducing ERC-8109 Diamonds, a Standard for Simpler Diamond Contracts

EIP-2535 Diamonds • 7 implied HN points • 31 Dec 25
🔮 Crypto Governance
  1. Diamond contracts reduce on-chain complexity by exposing lots of functionality through a single address and breaking large systems into small, purpose-built facets that are easier to test, audit, and evolve.
  2. ERC-8109 simplifies and standardizes diamonds by clarifying terminology, requiring just two introspection functions, replacing the monolithic DiamondCut event with per-function events, and adding an optional, consistent upgrade function plus a clear upgrade path for existing diamonds.
  3. Compose is a practical library and tooling ecosystem that implements ERC-8109 ideas, providing reusable on-chain facets and deployment/testing tools to make building modular diamond systems straightforward for developers.

German Vice-Chancellor Robert Habeck calls for a comprehensive internet censorship programme to stop people disagreeing with him

eugyppius: a plague chronicle • 228 implied HN points • 27 Oct 24
🇺🇸 U.S. Politics Governance
  1. Robert Habeck wants to regulate social media more to make it safer for democracy. He believes that people shouldn't be able to say anything they want online.
  2. He is worried about the influence of social media algorithms and wants more transparency in how they work. He argues that powerful figures shouldn't control the online conversation.
  3. Habeck thinks that differing opinions can destabilize society and that the government should take action to manage these views. This is part of a larger concern about polarization in politics.