I’m doing a bit of research on GRT people in the UK (we’re about to criminalise a way of life over here… but that’s for another forum).
Anyway, considering the fundamental bedrock of Cardano’s ideology is about ensuring equal access and the possibility of participation in a new global system of transactions. I thought it would be interesting to think about the particular barriers for GRT people in terms of access - and specifically if it is about no-one being ‘locked out’ of a global system how do we avoid this from happening for millions of people who have been persecuted for a thousand years and by (almost) definition exist outside of the agreed transactional structures of the localities where different Roma groups have settled or partially-settled?
Also consider that historically, GRT peoples are deeply suspicious of any attempt to force them to register their existence with an authority outside of their immediate kin/community - and in asking them to participate in a global system fundamentally reliant of absolute truths about the existence of the actors within it - you are asking them to overcome a deeply rooted and justifiable fear of increased visibility ultimately leading to a higher chance of extinction.
Also worth noting is that even the most violent and horrific attempts to force GRT people to ‘conform’ to the status quo of the relevant society’s socio-economic conditions have never really worked. AND the ‘infantilisation’ of GRT people by assuming a need to ‘educate’ them in order to further their ‘progress’ as a distinct ethnic community are viewed as overwhelmingly problematic both by the contemporary Roma movement and by individual GRT people themselves.
The problem I see, is that if blockchain 3.0 does end up replacing current global systems and we fail to find a way to achieve active participation amongst an entire ethnic group - then that’s a lot of people to leave behind. Especially as we go around announcing the potential for radical economic transformation in developing nations which Cardano provides.
It does seem possible that GRT peoples could be more ‘locked out’ than ever before if they are not able to be active and equal participants in a system which trades information for security globally.
So…ideas?