From: John Young <jya@pipeline.com>
Date: Tue, 30 Aug 94 06:32:54 PDT
To: cypherpunks@toad.com
Subject: Civil crypto anarchy
Message-ID: <199408301331.JAA03215@pipe1.pipeline.com>
MIME-Version: 1.0
Content-Type: text/plain



Responding to msg by nobody@ds1.wu-wien.ac.at () on Sun, 28 Aug 
 2:32 AM

>So basically the protocols are interesting in an 
>academic way, and we  could sit here and discuss the 
>possibilities, but then I suppose a  discussion about 
>atomic bombs will likely be of greater impact on our  
>future than crypto anarchy will.


Out of your several thoughful comments this one strikes some 
sparks.

Terror of nuclear weapons is universal.  Nothing about crypto 
anarchy is terrifying (yet).

A link between the two is not fanciful because of the challenge 
to those who hold secrets posed by crypto anarchy.

One singularity of the nuclear arsenal was that few people 
actually know its capability.  Its secrecy is a part of the 
threat.  The same is true of the more general national security 
apparatus, most of whose power derives from privileged 
knowledge of weapon-systems capabilities.

By extension of state power, under the rubric of national 
security, to other areas of government, often under the guise 
of intelligence and law enforcement needs, we have a society 
where a small number of economic, scientific, political, 
military and law enforcement persons hold privileged secrets 
and a very large citizenry who does not.  Because of suspected 
abuse of privilege, these keepers of secrets are no longer 
trusted.

Electoral politics, once thought to offer means to throw the 
scoundrels out, now feeds this suspicion, rather than relieving 
it,  because little of entrenched power structures are changed 
by the voting process.  The public process merely cosmetizes 
the means for exploiting the the secret privileges of the few.

The crypto and related technological and civil issues discussed 
on this list might be viewed as exploring how to redirect the 
science and technology, heretofore used sustain a national 
security-driven economy, toward creating the apparatus for a 
more just and benefical civil society, one less fraught with 
military, police and economic insecurity and fear of the tools 
of privileged secrecy.

Mastering cryptography and devising ways to put it to 
remunerative use are honorable and constructive alternatives to 
enduring unresponsive government.  If successful they will set 
examples, and provide tools,  for others to diminish state 
dependency.

However, there is still the task of proving that crypto anarchy 
is not itself a play for power by those who write and master 
its cryptographic code.  But better to test that in the public 
arena rather remain hidden and protected by state secrecy.

Fierce opposition should be expected, not least by demonizing 
crypto anarchy.  It will probably begin within the crypto 
anarchy enterprise under the guise of skeptical criticism and 
provocative baiting.

It is worth recalling that classical black anarchy, the secret, 
lethal version as distinguished from open black flag type, is 
used by despots to justify their ruthless measures.  Black 
anarchists, as agents of despots,  mingle with avowed 
flag-wavers to spy and provoke acts that lead to repressive 
crackdowns.  Black anarchists never announce themselves as such 
but may freely admit to being "anarchistic" as a wild-eyed 
subterfuge.  Inept provocations sometimes reveal them but the 
most able are never detected.


John