A devoted group of entrepreneurs and activists believe they see the writing on the wall, and they’re determined to add a new chapter. In their view, the world banks and governments harbor too much control over the financial vitality of the masses. But what if an ordinary citizen could bypass all the regulation and manipulation of the financial industry to become their own bank? The insightful new documentary The Bitcoin Gospel examines one such method for making this hypothetical a tangible reality. The concept took hold in 2009 following the global financial crisis of the previous year. Rising from the ashes of that catastrophe, Bitcoin represented a tidal shift in the way we procure, save and spend money without involvement or interference from banks or other mediators. In short, this exciting new digital currency held the promise of a world in which we would no longer be slaves to the financial elite. Consumers could buy and sell goods anywhere around the world without the constrictions of currency exchange or conversion. While the popularity of Bitcoin has blossomed since its initial inception, the system has faced significant hurdles and adversity along the way and a number of setbacks are now beginning to come into focus. In cutting out the middleman, Bitcoin provides an escape from the burdensome fees that banks and other institutions normally charge for traditional transactions. But that anonymity comes at a price; it may appeal to most users for their legitimate every day transactions, but it can also empower greater flexibility for criminal activities to flourish. Detractors also claim that the rising prominence of Bitcoin has inspired exactly the sort of elitist society the system was devised to defeat. As a result of these and other concerns, the currency has inspired the critical eye of government legislators and major players from the monetary sector. The Bitcoin Gospel covers all of these issues and more in admirably even-handed fashion. According to the evidence and testimony presented in the film, and in spite of its myriad of potential defects, Bitcoin represents a growing movement of citizens who want to redefine the nature of capitalism on a global scale.
