Academic Panel: Constitutions and Democracy

DAOs promise a more democratic alternative to traditional corporate hierarchies, one predicated on transparency, inclusion, collective ownership, and avoidance of legal bureaucracy. But what should this new model of governance look like? Should it incorporate traditional democratic principles such as separation of powers and representation by elected officials? Does this lead to more decentralization or less? And will DAOs live up their utopian promise or fall prey to some of the same criticisms that plague centralized companies? This session will explore DAO governance from the lens of democracy building, including what lessons DAO architects can learn from founding fathers and mothers who came before them. This session will also consider whether DAOs should set forth governance rights, rules and responsibilities in a constitution, or let governance principles develop and adapt organically over time.