Autarky enables digital independence through a self-hosted digital platform running on local hardware. The word autarky comes from the Greek αὐτάρκεια, meaning self-sufficiency, derived from αὐτο, self, and ἀρκέω, to suffice.
Autarky is about shaping the digital so it finds a healthy place in our lives. It favors local systems, low-power hardware, and calm technology that respects attention, limits intrusion, and serves real needs rather than creating new ones.
Autarky fits naturally with communities that already practice self-sufficiency in other domains. Its primary goal is to augment and strengthen local community life. The modest hardware lives on-site, consumes little power, and can run on solar energy, making it suitable for remote or temporary settings. Even without internet access, Autarky continues to function locally.
Autarky is not just a technical choice. It grows out of community living, permaculture, and practical self-reliance. It exists to augment real life, not replace it. The core idea is simple: the most important infrastructure is not the Digital, but in people and places.
Autarky is a project by digital.minck.be.