Protocol Sovereignty: Open Economic Networks Versus Closed Gatekeepers

Protocol Sovereignty examines how the rules of digital economic networks shape people’s ability to participate, build, and leave. Herbert R. Sim argues that open standards, interoperability, portable records, and permissionless innovation can preserve economic agency, while closed gatekeepers can turn convenient access into dependency.

Part of the Constructive Counter-Economics framework, the article considers security, network governance, and lawful alternatives. It offers practical questions for assessing whether a protocol enables meaningful choice or concentrates control over economic participation.