From: Jason W Solinsky <solman@MIT.EDU>
Date: Wed, 24 Aug 94 16:47:28 PDT
To: elton@sybase.com (Elton Wildermuth)
Subject: Re: Voluntary Governments?
In-Reply-To: <9408232042.AA18345@fnord.sybgate.sybase.com>
Message-ID: <9408242346.AA18374@ua.MIT.EDU>
MIME-Version: 1.0
Content-Type: text/plain


> Of course we can -- it happens all the time.  However, this time I
> haven't usurped the meaning of anything.  Force -- the threat or actual
> use of violence -- is the essence of government.  You just said so
> yourself:  "enforces laws".

This is how we got into this in the first place. You CAN enforce laws in
cyberspace without the use of physical realm force. You can form a fairly
potent government using economic coercion. [monetary deposits, denial of
communication, and out right banishment]. This rather unfortunate thread
started because people objected to my use of the term government when
refering to a cyberspatial entity that makes and enforces laws... without
force.

> Here's the closest applicable dictionary definition of "government",
> taken from the Random House Dictionary of the English Language:  "1. the
> political direction and control exercised over the actions of the members,
> citizens, or inhabitants of communities, societies, and states; direction
> of the affairs of a state, community, etc.; political administration."
> This is amplified by looking at "govern" in the same dictionary: "1. to
> rule by right of authority, as a sovereign does."

Yup.

> "Rule", or "political ... control" are only ever exercised through force.

Nope. Because of the nonlinear nature of an information economy [the total
value of information is greater when shared in a communty], the power of a
cybergovernment to banish citizens gives it the abilility to enforce its
regulations. This power is enhanced substantially by the availability of
cryptographic protocols to escrow e-cash and withdraw fines from it.

And despite my anarchic tendencies, I think it is important that relatively
powerful cybergovernments come into existence. If they don't, if the average
Joe is not able to enter cyberspace and feel secure, then physical realm
governments will absolutely insist (more than they do now) on extending their
authority into cyberspace and it will take a fair part of my lifetime before
they realize its futility.

JWS