The Ethereum Classic Foundation does not consist of people; it is an idea.
Compared to other blockchains whose development is guided by corruptible centralized institutions, The Ethereum Classic Foundation is a set of principles designed shepherds decision-making in a way that maximizes ETC's longevity and prevents it from being captured. As an idea, it is immune from many forms of attack, is robust, and can stand the test of time.
There is no top-down control over Ethereum Classic, which leads to an antifragility, and is achieved by participants maintaining and refining a doctrine of decentralization that can be easily articulated, understood, and perpetuated over time.
For Ethereum Classic, its Foundation is its strongest and most crucial element. ETC exists in response to The DAO incident, and in recognition that all of a blockchain's utility and value is ultimately downstream of principles. Through the continuous pursuit of decentralization maximalism, ETC's technological and social layers are configured to prevent outside forces from compromising a chain and overruling Code is Law.
Core Principles
This section contains a selection of the most important articles that dive deep into The Ethereum Classic Foundation's underlying philosophy. These are the ideas that ultimately keep the Original Ethereum Vision going.
Declaration of Independence
A statement of ETC's reason for being, a list of grievances, and a description of its principles and goals. It is one of Ethereum Classic's early founding documents, originally published in August 2016 and translated into many languages.
A Crypto-Decentralist Manifesto
Another influential document from Ethereum Classic's early days. It outlines the core values of decentralization, and helps inform decision making within the ETC communtiy.
Ethereum Classic Vision
How Ethereum Classic will be a successful computing platform and why ETC is an excellent store of value.
Let's Keep Ethereum Classic Classic
An in-depth reminder about the importance of defending the principles of Ethereum Classic, in response to a (now withdrawn) Treasury Proposal.
The Shoulders of Giants
Ethereum Classic could not exist without other trailblazing projects such as the original blockchain groundwork and decentralist philosophy of Bitcoin, and the Turing-complete Smart Contract platform technology provided by The Ethereum Project.
The idea of Smart Contracts
Nick Szabo's idea of smart contracts post from 1997.
Bitcoin: A Peer-to-Peer Electronic Cash System
Satoshi Nakamoto's original whitepaper is still recommended reading for anyone studying how Bitcoin and Blockchains work.
Ethereum Whitepaper
The Original Ethereum Whitepaper explains how the utility of blockchain technology is unleashed by "solving the political problem of deciding who gets to influence the consensus", and the concept of DAOs, Stablecoins, etc.
Ethereum Yellowpaper
The original technical description of the Ethereum Protocol, by Gavin Wood
