Bribery is a relic of a bygone era—a Bronze Age mindset, if you will. It’s a tool of self-preservation for those clinging to ill-gotten gains, a desperate attempt to maintain power and control within a system on the verge of collapse. But as history teaches us, no amount of bribery can stop a system from falling apart when larger forces are at play. The collapse of the Bronze Age, around 1200 BCE, is a perfect example.
Bronze Age civilizations were complex, interconnected societies reliant on fragile trade routes, bureaucratic systems, and resource monopolies. When climate change, internal strife, invasions, and economic disruptions struck, these civilizations crumbled. What’s fascinating is that the people of the Bronze Age didn’t foresee the collapse—or the subsequent rise of the Iron Age. They weren’t prepared for the shift. No records show them transitioning smoothly into a new era; they simply vanished, replaced by societies that discovered new ways of working with iron.
The transition from the Bronze Age to the Iron Age brought significant structural improvements in materials, tools, and societal organization. While bronze and iron are both metals, the shift to iron offered new possibilities in use and functionality that profoundly shaped civilizations. Here’s a breakdown of these improvements:
Material Accessibility
1. Wider Availability of Iron Ore
• Bronze Age: Bronze is an alloy of copper and tin, and both metals were scarce. Civilizations depended on complex trade networks to secure these materials, making them vulnerable to disruptions.
• Iron Age: Iron ore is far more abundant and widely distributed across the world. This meant societies no longer needed to rely as heavily on long-distance trade, creating more localized and self-sufficient economies.
2. Lower Cost of Iron
• Bronze was expensive and labor-intensive to produce, so it was often reserved for elites.
• Iron, while initially harder to work with due to higher smelting temperatures, became cheaper and more widely available, democratizing access to tools and weapons.
Technological Functionality
1. Strength and Durability
• Bronze: Softer and more prone to wear and tear, particularly in tools and weapons that required repeated heavy use.
• Iron: While raw iron was initially brittle, advancements like carburization (adding carbon to create steel) made iron tools and weapons stronger, sharper, and more durable. This greatly improved their functionality.
2. Edge Retention in Weapons
• Bronze blades dulled quickly and required frequent maintenance.
• Iron and steel blades held their edges longer, making them far more effective in warfare and agriculture.
3. Versatility
• Iron tools were more versatile and could be adapted to a wider range of uses, including farming, construction, and everyday life. For example:
• Iron plows revolutionized agriculture by allowing farmers to till harder soils.
• Iron nails and fittings improved construction techniques, enabling stronger and more complex buildings.
Societal Impacts and Structural Changes
1. Agricultural Productivity
• The introduction of iron tools, such as plows and sickles, made farming more efficient. This increased agricultural yields, supported larger populations, and enabled the rise of more complex societies.
2. Military Advancements
• Iron weapons and armor gave militaries a significant edge. The cheaper production and increased durability of iron meant larger armies could be equipped, fundamentally altering the scale and nature of warfare.
• Societies that mastered iron production often gained military dominance, leading to the rise of new empires and kingdoms.
3. Economic Decentralization
• The wide availability of iron ore reduced reliance on elite-controlled trade networks for bronze. This shift contributed to a decentralization of power, as more local communities could access the materials they needed to thrive.
4. Expansion of Infrastructure
• Iron tools allowed for more ambitious construction projects, including roads, aqueducts, and fortifications. These advancements facilitated trade, communication, and the consolidation of political power.
5. Spread of Knowledge
• The widespread use of iron also coincided with the diffusion of new technologies, such as improved smelting techniques and methods for crafting steel. These innovations spread more rapidly than in the Bronze Age, partly due to iron’s availability.
Philosophical and Cultural Shifts
1. Democratization of Technology
• With bronze, tools and weapons were often monopolized by the elite due to their cost. Iron democratized access, enabling broader participation in farming, craftsmanship, and warfare. This shift had cultural implications, fostering a sense of empowerment among lower classes.
2. Urbanization and Growth
• The improved agricultural productivity and military strength enabled by iron supported the growth of larger cities and more complex political systems. This laid the groundwork for classical civilizations like Greece and Rome.
In Summary
The shift from bronze to iron wasn’t just about replacing one metal with another—it was about a transformation in accessibility, functionality, and societal structure. Iron tools and weapons were stronger, cheaper, and more versatile, enabling advancements in agriculture, warfare, and construction. These changes democratized technology, decentralized economies, and allowed for the growth of larger, more complex civilizations. In essence, the Iron Age didn’t just smelt a new material; it forged a new way of living.
The lesson here is clear: bribery and corruption, tools of the old system, cannot prevent collapse, nor can they usher in a new system. When new ages emerge, they are not born out of the practices that upheld the old. Instead, they arise from ruptures—fundamental changes in how societies operate, think, and create.
Which brings us to the modern day, and to crypto.
Cryptocurrency is, in many ways, a new way of smelting. It represents a technological innovation with the potential to reshape how we create and exchange value, much like iron smelting did for ancient societies. Yet, despite its promise, crypto has not yet ushered in a powerful new age like the Iron Age. Why? Because it hasn’t created the vehicle—the societal, structural, and practical systems necessary to drive this transformation forward.
Instead, most cryptocurrencies are using new tools to replicate old systems. They smelt “ironed stuff” that looks like Bronze Age artifacts—modern technologies that mimic the power dynamics, inequalities, and speculative behaviors of traditional finance. Decentralization often gives way to centralized exchanges. The promise of democratized wealth becomes a game for insiders and speculators. The tools are new, but the structures they create feel old.
For crypto to truly forge a new age, it must break away from these Bronze Age relics. It must transcend mere speculation and wealth concentration, creating practical, scalable applications that empower individuals and communities. Only then can it move beyond being a shiny replica of outdated systems and become the foundation for something genuinely transformative.
The Iron Age wasn’t just about the material—it was about the tools, weapons, and systems that iron made possible. Likewise, for crypto to succeed, it needs to smelt not just coins, but entirely new vehicles for societal progress. Until then, it risks remaining a technological marvel without a meaningful revolution.
True transformation requires a rupture with the past, not its replication. Just as the Bronze Age gave way to the Iron Age, today’s systems—whether financial, political, or social—need more than new technology. They need new ways of thinking, new processes, and new vehicles to carry us into a better future. The question is, will crypto rise to the occasion, or remain stuck, forging iron that still looks like bronze?