Episode
NN Ep:8 Functional Sovereignty: Can Network Nations Self-Govern Without Land?
- Podcast
- GreenPill
- Published
- Dec 18, 2025
- Duration seconds
- 4218
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- https://128c3f4a-6136-477c-8898-83d022a2d198.libsyn.com/nn-ep8-functional-sovereignty-can-network-nations-self-govern-without-land
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Summary
New @greenpillnet pod out today! 🌐 In this episode of the Network Nations mini-series, host Primavera De Filippi speak with Morshed Mannan (European University Institute) and Neil Walker (author of Sovereignty in Transition) to explore one of the most challenging ideas in political theory today: Functional Sovereignty. They discuss whether sovereignty can be unbundled into separate functions like identity, finance, and dispute resolution — and what it means when digital communities begin exercising these powers without controlling land. Together they examine historical precedents, overlapping authorities, private platform power (Amazon, Meta), self-determination, legitimacy, polycentric governance, and how decentralized infrastructure may enable network nations to achieve real autonomy. A foundational conversation for understanding how communities can self-govern in the networked age. 🌱 greenpill.network 🌐 networknations.network 🐦 @owocki @greenpillnet https://x.com/MannanMorshed Timestamps 00:00 – Cold open: "Functional sovereignty is an oxymoron. 01:34 – What is functional sovereignty? 02:18 – Introducing guests: Morchette Mannan & Neil Walker 03:48 – Traditional sovereignty vs non-territorial sovereignty 06:14 – How communities govern identity, finance & dispute systems 07:20 – Unbundling sovereignty into multiple functions 08:25 – Historical evolution of sovereignty (dynastic → modern state) 10:50 – Early cracks: EU autonomy without exclusivity 13:09 – Examples of functional sovereignty (EU, monetary union, etc.) 16:42 – Guild socialism & industrial self-governance 18:20 – Decentralized constitutionalism in Yugoslavia 19:08 – Citizens as the sovereign, not territory 20:44 – Are Big Tech platforms (Amazon/Facebook) functional sovereigns? 23:24 – Digital proximity &…