In many parts of the world, people pause for a moment when they read certain news headlines. “How is this possible?” they ask. “Is this for real?” But for us, these headlines have become just another part of daily life. Many political and economic events in Turkey seem unbelievable to outsiders - yet for those living inside, they’ve become ordinary.

This piece begins by describing a specific process unfolding in Turkey. But the real aim is to show how these events follow recurring patterns seen globally, and to highlight Bitcoin as a possible alternative to this system. We'll explore how Bitcoin, as a borderless and decentralized value network, could offer a new kind of citizenship.

A Piece of Paper: The Diploma

On March 18, 2025, Istanbul Metropolitan Mayor Ekrem İmamoğlu’s university diploma was canceled. On the same day, many academics had their diplomas invalidated. In Turkey, you must be a university graduate to run in elections. This requirement, when used to cancel a degree earned years ago, became a political weapon. Since İmamoğlu posed a real electoral threat, the most "legal" way to eliminate his candidacy was found: Erase his diploma.

This wasn’t just an injustice toward a political figure. It was proof that rights earned in the past can be arbitrarily stripped away, and that the law can be bent to serve personal interests. You wake up one morning and the state tells you: “You’re not a university graduate.” The same method could be used tomorrow against someone else: “Your property deed is fake,” “Your citizenship is invalid,” “You no longer have the right to vote…”

An Awakening of the People

On the morning of December 19, 2025, one of the darkest days in Turkey’s democratic history took place. Ekrem İmamoğlu and his team were detained on charges of terrorism and corruption. When lawyers and independent observers examined the case, they found no real evidence - only political fiction.

The incident sparked public outrage. It wasn't just about one man being arrested - it was about an entire society losing faith in justice. The legal system wasn’t just failing; it had been turned into a tool of political power.

Streets, Campuses, Youth: Protecting Future

In response to these injustices, people took to the streets. University students, youth, women, and workers organized protests to reclaim their stolen rights, suppressed freedoms, and erased hopes. The constitutional right to protest was met with water cannons, tear gas, and police barricades.

These scenes reflected more than political unrest - they were signs of economic and social collapse. In Turkey today, young people are no longer just searching for better education or jobs; they’re searching for a fair and peaceful life. And they can't seem to find it in their own country.

One Chart Says It All: USD/TRY

You don’t need deep analysis to understand the chaos. One chart is enough: USD/TRY.

The Turkish lira’s long decline against the dollar is not just an economic issue. This chart shows how society is getting poorer by the day, how the middle class is disappearing, and how the gap between rich and poor is growing wider.

And this problem isn’t unique to Turkey. From Brazil to Nigeria, Argentina to Pakistan - many countries are facing similar crises. Which brings us to Bitcoin.

Bitcoin: Resistance or Alternative?

Bitcoin was born as a rebellion against centralized governments and traditional finance. It offers a solution to unlimited money printing, bank monopolies, corruption, and opaque governance.

Today in Turkey, the values Bitcoin stands for resonate deeply with the demands of the youth marching in the streets for justice. The problems with today’s system are clear:

• Unlimited money printing: Governments print as much money as they want, fueling constant inflation.

• Nepotism: Jobs are given not on merit but on loyalty.

• Corruption: Public resources are used for private gain.

• Lack of transparency: Government budgets are hidden from the public.

Bitcoin offers a direct counter-model:

• Limited supply: Capped at 21 million coins. No more can ever be created.

• Decentralization: No individual, institution, or government can control the network.

• Transparency: Every transaction is recorded on a public blockchain.

• Consensus: Changes and validations are decided collectively by the network.

In this sense, Bitcoin isn’t just a currency - it proposes a new system of governance and social order.

Is This a Utopia?

Is the structure Bitcoin offers perfect? Of course not.

A system where all decisions are automated, without room for human judgment, can struggle to make moral choices. For example, helping someone in need outside the system might not be possible. A purely merit-based system with no space for empathy could create a different kind of injustice.

So yes - Bitcoin carries the seeds of dystopia, too. But compared to the dystopia created by current systems, Bitcoin still stands as a powerful alternative.

A New Kind of Citizenship: Bitcoin and Identity

Today, who we are is defined by the passport we hold. But what if citizenship wasn’t based on state approval, but on shared values and voluntary participation?

That’s exactly what Bitcoin proposes: the ability to create and share value in a decentralized, censorship-resistant, transparent system. To live in a borderless community, where justice is coded in protocol, and belonging is based not on birth but on belief and participation.

Is this possible? Maybe not today. But the foundations of tomorrow are being laid today.

Is There Still Hope for Turkey?

As Mustafa Kemal Atatürk once told us:

“… By force or by ruse, all citadels and all arsenals of our dear fatherland may have been taken; all of its armies may have been dispersed and all corners of the country may have been physically occupied. More distressing and more grievous than all these, those who hold and exercise the power within the country may have fallen into gross error, blunder, and even treason. These holders of power may have even united their personal interests with political ambitions of the invaders. The nation itself may have fallen into privation, and may have become exhausted and desolate.

You, the future sons and daughters of Turkey! Even under such circumstances and conditions, your duty is to redeem Turkish independence and the Republic! The strength you shall need exists in the noble blood flowing through your veins.”

Next Article: Is Global Citizenship Possible Through Bitcoin?

In my next essay, I’ll explore this question: Can we build a stateless, borderless, fair, and collective model of digital citizenship? Can Bitcoin be the backbone of this system?

For now, all I know is this: There’s a deeper connection than we realize between a young person marching for justice in the streets and the fundamental principles written into Bitcoin’s protocol.