Definition
Meta-governance is a governance mechanism in which one governance system exercises decision-making power over the governance parameters, proposals, or outcomes of another protocol or organization. It typically arises when a governance token or DAO holds governance rights in external protocols, enabling it to influence or determine how those external systems allocate resources, configure settings, or adopt policy-level changes.
In Simple Terms
Meta-governance is a setup where one organized group with voting power helps decide how another project is governed. Instead of only voting on its own rules, the group also votes on how to use its voting power or rights inside other protocols or organizations.
Context and Usage
Meta-governance is commonly discussed in the context of DAOs and protocol-level governance, especially where treasuries hold governance tokens of other projects. It is relevant to debates about delegation of voting power, aggregation of governance influence, and coordination across multiple protocols. The term often appears in discussions about governance frameworks, voting strategies, and the design of multi-protocol decision-making structures.