Guest - Josh - Posted October 26, 2013 Posted October 26, 2013 I found this video posted on this subreddit. What do you guys make of it? I know it's not anarchy, but it doesn't look like Randian minarchy either. It would seem to allow for much more freedom than the Free State Project or something similar. I suppose it's about as free range as you can get outside of actual freedom. Considering this world is dominated by statism at the moment, I'm surprised that something like this could even exist soon. If not something to be considered morally acceptable, could it perhaps be a better example of what freer markets can accomplish, outside of the typical examples like China (which isn't the best example due to its state run industries, among other things). I don't know if I'm going to leave the US, as Dr. Higgs suggests, because I shouldn't have to live on the ocean or in a jungle somewhere to be free. However it might be in my best interests to do that, just as it was for the runaway slaves who escaped to Canada. I'm also worried that this place might get so much wealth that it becomes the capital of some future empire, as was the case with the US. Although since it’s a tax free zone, I don’t know if it will become a big government, or at least not become one as quickly as the US did (since the founders gave themselves the authority to tax from the start). Then again the host country could seize the land and the wealth therein somehow. Other than that I’m not sure what to think about it; so, I’d like to hear some other perspectives.
michael e Posted October 26, 2013 Posted October 26, 2013 Thank you for posting the link Interesting concept Edan Yago tackles the most important question, regarding security, right off the top, stating that there will be a defensive force. However that defensive force will be subservient to the local military, and that is, I believe, a fatal flaw. Having travelled extensively in the region I can vouch for the epic level of corruption and am quite certain that once this experiment in freedom produces the prosperity that freedom always produces, state forces will swoop in at the behest of some ruling henchman and with the full backing of an eager statist population hungering for their share of the spoils. A better idea would be to buy an island outright from a bankrupt / corrupt state, no shortage of those around, clear of any local population. Needless to say the state once paid off will welch on its agreement but a professional private army would make short work of any statist with dreams of a statist military takeover of the freedom island.
Josh F Posted November 11, 2013 Posted November 11, 2013 I dont think the country will want to destroy their own bitcoin gold mine. It doesn't matter, we just have to try, we can't be frozen in fear.
ribuck Posted November 11, 2013 Posted November 11, 2013 A better idea would be to buy an island outright from a bankrupt / corrupt state, no shortage of those around... No shortage of what? Islands? Bankrupt/corrupt states? For sure there is no shortage of those. But there is no state that will sell an island and grant it independence. If any state offers such a thing, that state will be beseiged with buyers.
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