CryptoDad

ConclusionRoadside Thoughts¹

The only freedom which deserves the name, is that of pursuing our own good in our own way, so long as we do not attempt to deprive others of theirs, or impede their efforts to obtain it.

—John Stuart Mill, “On Liberty” (1859)

Philosophy of Value

I close this book with a brief reflection on the life of John Stuart Mill, the proponent of utilitarianism, a philosophy that commends action that creates the greatest amount of happiness for the greatest number of people.² I do so to lay out a philosophical approach to the digital future of money, a future of greater financial inclusion, economic liberty, and enduring democratic values for generations to come.

There is an important side to the life of British utilitarian philosopher John Stuart Mill that many people forget: He was a longtime official of the East India Company. That's the British monopoly that controlled India and much more of the world two centuries ago.³

Headquartered in London, the East India Company was a global juggernaut involved in commerce, trade, developing markets, and territorial acquisition throughout the world. Most of its trade focused on the Indian subcontinent. The company was multinational, powerful, and global—long before globalization was even a concept. Chartered by Queen Elizabeth I in 1599, it was given exclusive trade rights “with all countries east of the Cape of Good Hope and west of the Straits of Magellan.” Eventually it would become a military power and empire-builder ...