From: Steve Reid <steve@edmweb.com>
Date: Sun, 28 Apr 1996 18:07:41 +0800
To: mkj@october.segno.com
Subject: Re: CryptoAnarchy: What's wrong with this picture?
In-Reply-To: <199604271611.AA05770@october.segno.com>
Message-ID: <Pine.BSF.3.91.960427213515.9348A-100000@kirk.edmweb.com>
MIME-Version: 1.0
Content-Type: text/plain


> Why then shouldn't we expect that modern governments, in the face of
> widespread cryptography, will simply revert to more traditional (and
> brutal) systems such as head taxes, land taxes, travel tolls, etc.?

That's easy to get around- move to another country with another 
government. I've read here that the US government would try to tax you 
anyway, but it would be very difficult to collect... You could still 
anonymously work in the US or some other strong economy, by telecommuting.

Also, you can get around head taxes by not letting the government know 
where you are (easy with the anonymity thing). Travel tolls can be 
avoided by not traveling (telecommute instead). Land taxes are more 
difficult, since you kinda need a place to live, so maybe best to move to 
another country.

I'm not advocating tax evasion, I'm just saying it could become possible.

There's no guarantee that crypto-anarchy will come to be... I think the
crypto genie is permanently out of the bottle (or at least will be soon),
but if anonymous digital cash doesn't catch on, crypto anarchy won't be 
the same. 


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| Steve Reid - SysAdmin & Pres, EDM Web (http://www.edmweb.com/)    |
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