Social Consensus Building

Social consensus building is the informal process of aligning stakeholders, developers, and users on the direction of a protocol through communication, debate, and compromise. Before any technical changes are proposed or voted upon, a significant amount of work is done in forums, social media, and community calls to build a shared understanding of the problem and the proposed solution.

This process is essential for maintaining the cohesion of the community and preventing contentious hard forks that could damage the protocol's value. It involves managing diverse interests, including those of investors, users, and core contributors, and finding a path forward that satisfies the majority.

While it does not rely on smart contracts, it is the bedrock upon which successful on-chain governance is built. Without a strong foundation of social consensus, formal governance mechanisms are likely to fail or lead to fragmented communities.