Ask / Knowledge Atlas / Crypto-anarchy

Cypherpunk era · 1988–1990s

Crypto-anarchy

Crypto-anarchist thinking argued that strong cryptography could enable private, censorship-resistant communication and exchange beyond traditional gatekeepers.

Why it matters

The political and technical ideas of crypto-anarchy strongly influenced the culture from which Bitcoin emerged.

Key ideas

Primary and technical sources

The Crypto Anarchist ManifestoTimothy C. May

Related concepts