Technical is Political
Digital platforms are never neutral; they are architectures of power. Coalition Substrate explicitly recognizes this, designing infrastructure to distribute power rather than concentrate it. It asks: does this protocol make it easier to form a monopoly, or a federation?
In the Myceloom framework, the substrate is "neutral" among coalitions (supporting many different ones) but "opinionated" about values (supporting democratic, reciprocal, and open structures).
Infrastructure for Solidarity
Just as a biological substrate (soil, agar) provides the nutrients for fungal growth, Coalition Substrate provides the necessary conditions for political growth:
- Reduction of Friction: Lowering the "coordination costs" that usually make organizing difficult.
- Transparency: Making contributions and withdrawals visible to prevent free-riding.
- Interoperability: Ensuring that different coalitions can speak to each other.