Their rules.

Doctorate in Critical Theory and Contemporary Society

Applicant: Francisco Toro Fierro

Research Proposal

PRESENTATION

The global crisis of legitimacy and trust in public institutions is presented as a consequence of the growing obstacles faced by public and democratic institutions in addressing the vulnerability of the global economy, migration, organized crime, climate change, political division, and the regulation of artificial intelligence, among other issues that may explain the widespread feeling of hopelessness (UNDP, 2024). This makes evident the ineffectiveness of traditional models in solving current and underlying problems (Bauman, 2000), affecting how people interact with their peers, companies, organizations, and the State (Crouch, 2019).

Economic growth, by itself, is not synonymous with socioeconomic development or sustainability, as empirical evidence demonstrates (Stiglitz, 2002). Even when macroeconomic figures are positive, they do not translate into significant improvements in quality of life or more cohesive societies (UNDP, 2024). There is a structural disconnect between people's social needs and the solutions these institutions provide, which creates a crisis in social and economic relations (Beck, 1986).

In a context marked by a crisis of trust in traditional institutions, a lack of infrastructure responsive to social demands, and a growing need for innovative solutions to contemporary challenges, it is worth asking: How can trust objectified through distributed technologies (such as blockchain and DLT) transform social and economic interactions in Shared Unique Resources (RUC) to foster a new paradigm of distributed cooperation and community sustainability?

This research proposes exploring alternative models that coexist with traditional strategies for economic survival, such as cooperatives (Chaves, Monzón, Pérez and Radrigán, 2013), and that expand the possibilities for social action and association. This would be done through the conceptualization and application of Shared Unique Resources (RUC) (Ostrom, 2000) as an associative infrastructure that drives more dynamic interaction among social actors and responds both to economic needs and emerging social practices, thereby contributing to greater cohesion and adaptation in a rapidly changing environment.

The foregoing entails connecting seemingly disparate fields—social economy, technology, and sociology—to create a conceptual and practical framework oriented toward decentralized socioeconomic infrastructure. To this end, the aim is to build an interaction space that uses technologies such as blockchain to decentralize economic and social interactions by developing an applied RUC model (prototype).

The research project I propose lies at the intersection of social economy, technology, and applied sociology, inviting critical dialogue that enables creative solutions to drive social and economic innovation at the frontier of these disciplines. At the same time, it allows dimensions that at first seem disconnected to be explored; examined together, they reveal significant potential for developing more equitable and sustainable economic and social models.

Social economy, with its focus on collaboration and mutuality, offers a valuable counterpoint to prevailing economic paradigms based on competition and individualism. Meanwhile, the emergence of technologies such as decentralized applications (DApps) and decentralized autonomous organizations (DAOs), as social technologies used primarily for horizontal exchange and governance, provides innovative infrastructure that can facilitate new forms of social and economic interaction. However, it is crucial that these technologies not become mere instruments for reproducing existing power relations, but instead be designed and used to promote equity and collaboration; the latter is the focus of this research project. In this regard, critical theory plays a fundamental role, not only by enabling a rigorous evaluation of current systems, but also by offering tools for imagining and building viable alternatives that promote collective well-being. It is also of interest to address the convergence of sociology and distributed associative systems from a practical perspective. Therefore, the data and conclusions contributed by this research project are highly relevant for their innovative character, inaugurating a frontier-laboratory approach.

THEORETICAL AND CONCEPTUAL SCOPE

Collective Management of Shared Unique Resources: From Elinor Ostrom to New Decentralized Technologies

The work of Elinor Ostrom (2000), especially her book Governing the Commons, offers an in-depth analysis of the sustainable management of the commons, introducing the concept of Shared Unique Resources (RUC). This concept is presented as a key tool for the operational management of common goods and resources, as it makes it possible to structure associative social relations that balance personal interest with the common interest within the framework of collective action. This approach has the potential to reduce the inherent contradiction between individual uses and collective aims, facilitating a more harmonious interaction model. It also proposes an innovative account in the economic and social sphere, suggesting that communities' problems and needs can be addressed effectively through self-management and collaboration among governments, private initiatives, and the users of the resources themselves.

Ostrom (2000) refers to the concept of the “tragedy of the commons,” developed by Hardin (1968), according to which the individual and irrational use of shared resources leads to their depletion. This is exemplified by a pasture shared by several herders who, despite its initial abundance and because of their individual rationality, may overexploit the resource, ultimately affecting the whole community.

Whereas Hardin (1968) argues that an impartial third party should manage these commons, Ostrom (2000) challenges this view by proposing that RUC can be managed collectively without the intervention of state or private entities. In this context, the author argues that the users themselves are best equipped to manage common resources sustainably, provided they have adequate means, incentives, and effective communication mechanisms, as well as a standard of justice that guarantees fairness in the distribution of costs and benefits. This capacity for self-organization is essential to achieving effective collective action and maintaining robust social capital among participants.

For his part, Paul Samuelson's (1947) theory of public goods complements this discussion, defining goods that should not be rationed and whose use by one person does not prevent others from accessing them. Ostrom (2000) notes that ejido and communal systems can serve as successful models of self-government, offering equitable access and promoting sustainability of the shared resource. The author distinguishes between resource systems and resource units produced by the system. Emphasizing the importance of recognizing the interdependence of the actors involved, she proposes a framework for cooperation that allows participants to establish binding contracts and comply with agreements that optimize RUC management. This approach requires institutional structures that ensure an equitable distribution of costs and benefits, as well as mechanisms for monitoring and conflict resolution.

Studying Ostrom's work with regard to the efficiency and sustainability of RUC and their future development is essential to advancing commons management, especially in the context of new technologies and cooperation paradigms. The conception of RUC poses a major challenge that can be resolved in a decentralized context, where associative infrastructure must be designed to be accessible and efficient. Influenced by the centralized structures of her time, Ostrom did not fully anticipate the potential of decentralized technologies to create environments of objectified and prior trust. This technological advance will enable more efficient and effective resource acquisition, eliminating intermediaries that may obstruct access to the commons.

Decentralized Networks and Associative Fabric: Rethinking Collaboration in Economic and Social Systems

Associative fabric refers to the network of interactions that enables a group of people to operate together within a complex system. To do so, it uses devices both of cohesion and coercion, enabling individuals to collaborate in pursuing common goals while maintaining their personal interests. This fabric not only fosters a sense of belonging among its members, but also responds to their needs and expectations, shaping an environment in which social relations are fundamental.

Trust, in turn, emerges as the central core of associative interaction, facilitating relationships and promoting cooperation. In this context, a principle of egoism is recognized that does not contradict but complements group interaction; that is, individuals may act in their own interest without compromising collective well-being. In sum, associative fabric is essential for understanding how interpersonal relations and trust are interwoven in creating functional and resilient communities, and how these elements are fundamental to the success of cooperative initiatives in a complex social and economic environment.

The design of associative fabric for decentralized economic interactions represents an emerging field that remains little explored in academic research. There is extensive literature on centralized economic interactions in relation to the solidarity-economy component, such as cooperatives, foundations, grassroots organizations, and unions (Álvarez, Granados and Rodríguez, 2006; Telles, Servos and Bittencourt, 2020), whose arrangements tend to respond to traditional pyramidal structures.

Another group of authors investigate “complex associative systems” (SAC), understood as more or less formalized entities that address collective problems and conflicts through cooperation among highly heterogeneous social and political actors and their connection with intersecting sectors (Luna and Velasco, 2017). According to their findings, SAC are a social space that emerges from the convergence of those involved to address concrete problems, also with a strong centralized component. My research proposal takes up these inquiries into the relationship between solidarity economies and technologies, but from a decentralized perspective, recognizing intersecting sectors as a proto-vision of distributed RUC.

Blockchain and Robinsonades: Unlocking the Socio-Technological Potential of Cryptocurrencies

Distributed Ledger Technology (DLT) is an electronic system that makes it possible to record information in a decentralized and distributed manner, without relying on a single entity. This type of technology, which includes blockchain, has made it possible to create secure and transparent networks for transactions without the intervention of a trusted central authority. Although blockchain is only a subcategory of DLT, its relevance lies in its ability to establish peer-to-peer networks that facilitate new kinds of economic and social interactions.

The history of DLT and blockchain development has been marked by significant milestones, from the first concepts of digital money and timestamping systems in the 1980s and 1990s to the emergence of Bitcoin in 2008 as the first functional blockchain. Over the past decade, blockchain technology has evolved to include smart contracts, enterprise systems such as Hyperledger and IBM Blockchain, and growing adoption in sectors such as finance. However, as its popularity has increased, so has the need for regulation, reflecting both its potential and the risks associated with its large-scale implementation.

In his work Capital, Karl Marx draws on the figure of Robinson Crusoe to illustrate fundamental concepts of labor and use value. Through the portrayal of Crusoe in a state of isolation, Marx analyzes how this character must satisfy all his needs, leading him to create use value and wealth. However, he also criticizes the repetition of the castaway's cultural and economic history, suggesting that although Crusoe can transform his environment, he falls into a trap that limits his potential to establish new relationships with resources and people. The cultural loop. This concept of “Robinsonades” extends to the realm of cryptocurrencies and blockchain platforms. Despite offering technological infrastructure that promotes trust and decentralization, developers tend to compress this capacity into the realm of cryptocurrencies, instead of exploiting the sociotechnological potential to establish new forms of economic interaction. In this proposal, cryptocurrencies are presented as programmable tools capable of facilitating social and economic innovation through distributed associative interactions.

Trust and Technology in Shared Unique Resources: Toward a New Paradigm of Distributed Cooperation

A central element in RUC management is trust, conceived as the main cohesive force in cooperative relations (Ostrom, 2000; Putnam, 2000; Sennett, 2012; Benkler, 2006). Trust is essential in social interaction and is defined as the belief that a person or group will act appropriately in a given context (Cornu, 1999). This belief allows individuals to reduce uncertainty about others' future actions, facilitating predictability and stability in social relations. From a functionalist perspective, trust simplifies interactions by temporarily suspending uncertainty about others' actions, which is fundamental to the proper functioning of institutions (Parsons, 1937; 1951).

In the context of Shared Unique Resources (RUC), trust acquires a technological dimension: it is treated as an asset that can be managed in a manner similar to other economic resources. It can grow, multiply, or dissipate depending on the conditions and design of the associative infrastructure that supports it. For this system to function effectively, trust must be generated and sustained both by the infrastructure and by network participants. Distributed infrastructures, such as blockchain and distributed ledger technologies (DLT), make it possible to externalize and objectify trust, creating what might be called “rei-trust.” Through this infrastructure, trust ceases to depend exclusively on subjectivity or individual calculation and becomes a structural element of the system, enabling a two-way exchange of trust between individuals and the technological infrastructure. This process transforms trust into a tangible asset that can be managed and optimized, eliminating the need for “blind trust.”

The approach proposed in this study offers an innovative vision by integrating technological and social dimensions, seeking to create infrastructure that promotes trust and cooperation among individuals in a decentralized manner, using technological tools such as blockchain and DLT.

The blockchain system solves classic coordination problems in distributed systems, such as the Byzantine generals problem, providing a technological basis that synchronizes multiple actors around “objective trust.” However, although the technological infrastructure creates the appropriate environment, the challenge lies in designing a social interaction system that encourages effective cooperation among participants, moving beyond traditional centralized cooperative models toward a new model of distributed cooperation.

This research project seeks to explore how trust objectified through distributed technologies can transform social and economic interactions in the context of RUC. The study proposes developing an interaction system that promotes both personal benefit and community sustainability in a distributed economy.

Shared Unique Resources, as postulated by Ostrom, are examples of existing theoretical spaces that can be implemented and managed in a decentralized manner. Everyday examples, such as libraries or Santiago de Chile's public transport system, illustrate how these resources are managed in contexts that do not always allow their full expression. This proposal is justified by the framework of solutions it offers for addressing the challenges of competition intensified by technology and adapting to its changing forms of social interaction, contributing to the creation of associative fabrics that reinforce trust and interdependence among social actors and also contribute to the efficient delivery of these resources to beneficiaries/users.

In this sense, Shared Unique Resources represent a significant intersection between economic and social relations, on the premise that the two are intrinsically equivalent. This means that the economy acts not only as an incentive system that drives individual action, but is also fundamental to changing social behaviors. Therefore, it is crucial to implement a systemic economic perspective that makes it possible to position incentives in strategic areas, facilitating the development of the associative fabric needed for collaborative action.

Thus, RUC as associative infrastructures offer a new framework for redesigning social interactions and economic behaviors. They enable a transition from a model of extreme competition and resource concentration toward a paradigm in which the satisfaction of individual needs can coexist without conflict with collective interests, eliminating the notion of exclusive ownership. In other words, RUC, as programmable entities, present a unique opportunity to expand associative economic systems, enabling the creation of designed and programmed new economies. This approach fosters interdependence among social and economic actors, promoting a transition from competition to collaboration.

It is important to note that RUC do not have a homogeneous economic spirit; their flexibility allows innovative social and economic relations based on trust, which is considered the fundamental pillar of association. Therefore, it is viable and advisable to develop associative systems in distributed environments, such as those offered by blockchain technology, with a focus on the common good and a holistic vision of RUC.

At this point, I am interested in investigating: How can an operational formulation of a shared unique resource be established that enables a new economic relationship among people, stimulating a new distributed associative fabric and, therefore, a new social interaction?

This research, with a strong experimental component, proposes creating a set of decentralized associative economic interactions that facilitate the effective use of RUC. This entails designing an associative fabric that includes components of cohesion and coercion, making it possible to strengthen the associative component and balance the system. To this end, the aim is to establish laboratories in spaces that exhibit RUC characteristics (yet to be defined), where interactions will be generated through a technological prototype and research will also be conducted on its possible uses.

Each RUC, in a poietic manner, brings new versions of economic interactions that entail new social interactions distinct from traditional ones. These new social choreographies are the challenge. For this reason, the need to study them from a critical perspective becomes evident. Critical reflection on systems is inherent to critical theory. Through this analytical capacity, it is possible not only to describe and understand “social software,” but also to critique it, unravel its mysteries, and propose new systems. This is similar to what happened with the Bulgarian cyberneticians, who reflected on cybernetics for years until the first computer allowed them to test and give substance to the work they had done for so long.

New decentralized associative systems emerge from social theory and propose solutions to the current loss of meaning of institutions that do not respond effectively to citizens' demands. In this context, RUC are presented as a system that seeks to improve our social interactions through new economic relations. The socioeconomic interaction generated by RUC can promote innovative forms of relating (of various kinds and for different problems), overcoming traditional interactions, challenging existing structures, and fostering social innovation.

General objective: Explore and design a model of social and economic interaction based on trust objectified through distributed technologies, which promotes cooperation and community sustainability in the context of Shared Unique Resources (RUC).

Specific objectives:

Analyze the role of trust as a manageable asset in decentralized associative infrastructures, using the social component of technologies such as blockchain and DLT.

Develop a technological prototype that facilitates decentralized economic interactions, applicable to RUC in experimental settings.

Evaluate the impact of implementing distributed technologies on the creation of new forms of social and economic cooperation, overcoming the limitations of traditional models.