Two Experiments Toward Freedom, But Starting From Different Places
At the ZODL Summit, Zcash developers talked about Parallel Polis.
They said that Zcash is carrying on the spirit of the Parallel Society, which was created as a response to a system controlled by the state under communist rule.
The vision they present is clear.
To create a new financial system that exists outside the current financial system while still being next to it.
A system where people can save, use, and control their own money without banks.
In other words, they want to create a Parallel Polis in the financial world.
However, there is a fundamental question.
Are the social forces that moved Parallel Polis really the same as the forces that move Zcash?
I do not think they are.
Rather, the biggest problem Zcash has is not technology, but the lack of a strong internal reason that drives it.
1. ZODL’s Vision Is Strong, But Its Driving Force Is Weak
The vision presented by ZODL is philosophically very strong.
- A system without banks
- Finance without middle institutions
- Personal control over money
- A world where anyone can directly control their own assets
This is not just technology development.
It is a vision for society.
However, throughout history, new social systems were not created by ideals alone.
Movements that created major changes always had a strong internal reason.
People do not move simply because:
“It would be nice to have a better system.”
Most people move because they experience:
“We cannot continue living normally under the current system.”
New systems are born from a strong awareness of problems with the existing system and shared agreement among people.
And this is exactly where the important difference between Parallel Polis and Zcash exists.
2. Parallel Polis Was Born From Extreme Suffering
The Czechoslovak society where Parallel Polis appeared was not simply an uncomfortable society.
It was a society where basic human freedoms were limited.
The state:
- Decided what people could say,
- Controlled what information people could access,
- Restricted what organizations people could create,
- Watched people’s thoughts and actions.
Freedom was not an abstract idea.
It was a real problem people experienced every day.
Therefore, Parallel Polis did not remain only as an intellectual experiment by a few thinkers.
It was a response to reality shared by members of society.
Whether they were intellectuals, workers, or students, many people had the same question.
“How can we keep our freedom as human beings?”
This question was the main engine that moved Parallel Polis.
3. However, The Problem of Financial Freedom Is Not The Same Level of Suffering
The problem Zcash tries to solve is fundamentally different.
Of course, financial privacy and control over assets are important issues.
A government can collect financial information.
Banks or institutions can influence people’s financial activities.
A centralized system can limit a person’s economic freedom.
However, for most people, the current financial system is not experienced as extreme oppression like a communist system.
Most people:
- Can use bank accounts,
- Can pay with cards,
- Receive convenience from financial services.
In other words, many people see the financial system as:
“An imperfect but necessary system”
rather than:
“A system that oppresses me.”
This is the biggest difficulty Zcash faces.
4. People Respond More Strongly To Current Pain Than Future Risks
Historically, the things that created social change were usually not future possibilities.
They were pains people experienced in the present.
People in communist societies experienced restricted freedom every day.
For them, change was not a choice.
It was a necessity.
However, the issue of financial freedom is still a future risk for most people.
For example:
“Financial data may be misused someday.”
“Accounts may be restricted someday.”
“The financial system may control personal choices someday.”
These possibilities have meaning.
However, humans respond much more strongly to current pain than future risks.
No matter how important insurance is, most people do not actively act until they experience the actual danger.
5. This Is Why Zcash’s Social Engine Is Weak
Zcash has excellent technology.
Zero-Knowledge Proofs,
Strong privacy technology,
A decentralized structure,
Resistance against censorship.
However, technology is not the engine.
Technology is a tool to achieve a goal.
The real engine is the answer to this question:
“Why do people absolutely need this?”
Parallel Polis had a clear answer to this question.
People shared the reality:
“We are being watched.”
“We cannot express ourselves freely.”
“We need a new space outside the existing system.”
But for most people, Zcash still needs to answer this question:
“Why do we need a new financial system outside the current one now?”
Conclusion: The Fundamental Difference Between Parallel Polis and Zcash
Parallel Polis was a movement created by suffering.
People understood why it was needed.
For them, freedom was not a philosophical idea.
It was a real issue of survival.
However, Zcash started from a completely different environment.
Financial freedom and privacy are clearly important values.
But for most people today, they are not as urgent as the problems experienced under communist rule.
Therefore, the most important element needed for Zcash to create social change like Parallel Polis, a strong internal reason, has not yet been formed.
In the end, the biggest problem of Zcash is not technology.
It is not cryptography.
It is not scalability.
The real problem is this question:
“Why do people absolutely need this system?”
History shows us something.
Creating a new system does not happen only through excellent technology.
It requires a strong reason that people can connect with through their own reality and share with others.
Parallel Polis had that reason.
But today, Zcash does not have the same strong internal reason that moved Parallel Polis, a reason that ordinary people can accept through their own experiences and share together.
