Former U.K. Independence Party (UKIP) Leader Nigel Farage likened his experience as a political outcast to what is happening with the Bitcoin movement.
Known as a Euro-skeptic, the ex-Member of the European Parliament (MEP), who served until the U.K.’s exit from the EU, has voiced numerous “anti-establishment” opinions in the past, including condemning the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, questioning climate change data, and opposing bank bailouts.
An unwillingness to “tow the line” has earned him a reputation for being a political maverick. At the same time, his outspoken views, mainly to do with immigration, have also resulted in ridicule.
Farage is now flying the flag for Bitcoin, calling it “the ultimate freedom.”
Farage sees Bitcoin as an economic insurgency
Speaking at Bitcoin Amsterdam, the host of the What Bitcoin Did Podcast, Peter McCormack, alluded to Farage’s incongruous presence at the conference, asking him, “what are you doing here?”
Farage said that he “led a political insurgency” against the establishment for which he was slammed as being “mad, bad, and dangerous.” He likened his challenges of the status quo to the Bitcoin movement, saying both are forms of dissent. But in the case of Bitcoin, it is taking a stand financially.
Farage added:
“What I think is happening with Bitcoin is I think we’re seeing a similar type of insurgency. This is an economic insurgency, and it’s being driven and led by people who are worried about the sheer size, scale of big government.”
With that, his desire for freedom and independence makes the conference and the Bitcoin community “a perfectly natural place to be.”
McCormack chimed in to agree, saying BTC is a politically unpopular idea with investors tarnished as terrorists and financial criminals.
People power
In bringing change, Farage mentioned that any radical new idea, whether political, scientific, or monetary, is subject to ridicule and resistance.
However, to change the negative narrative surrounding Bitcoin, the former MEP called on supporters to do their part by talking to friends and acquaintances, “hounding” political representatives and building a grassroots movement that derives power and influence from numbers. Farage said:
“Actually, all of you have a lot more power than you realize… As I was building the Purple Revolution, from literally a few dozen of us in the pub to millions of supporters across the country, the phrase I used to use was, ‘join the people’s army.’”
Offering his experience with overcoming the establishment and getting real change, Farage said it happens once a million people stamp their feet in unity.
