From: rishab@dxm.ernet.in
Date: Fri, 23 Sep 94 09:33:01 PDT
To: cypherpunks@toad.com
Subject: Crypto irrelevant to hit men
Message-ID: <gate.8uV5sc1w165w@dxm.ernet.in>
MIME-Version: 1.0
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Crypto and anon escrow are largely irrelevant to the world market in
assasinations, nuclear terrorism or whatever. To put my response to the
whole 'HIT MEN' thread very concisely:

1. 'crypto anarchy' does make it easier for people to _hire_ murderers. It
   does NOT make it any easier to _commit_ murders.

2. it may be difficult for an escrow agency to have good reputations among
   murderers as well as doctors. I agree with Sandy that people don't bother
   only about reputations for specific activities, but consider organizations
   as a whole. However, reputations as I defined them in my "Social punishment"
   posts are clearly valid within possibly independent social units. You may
   have a good reputation with murderers but not with Aunt Maud.

3. Sandy says (2) leads to agencies with limited clientele, therefore higher
   rates, therefore more fraud. Narcotic drug trafficking is a $500 BILLION
   annual industry (HDR 1994). Part of the high cost is the 'illegal' and 
   possibly 'immoral' status of the trade. This does not necessarily mean an
   unsustainable market - indeed it's one of the world's fastest growing
   businesses. Nor do the high premia result in unsustainable levels of fraud.
   I wouldn't put my money in a bank run by the Cali cartel, no matter how 
   unlikely they are to ever fail. But enough people in the drug business
   trust them. Enough people trust the shady runner in the New York alley. 

4. A agency only need to have a good reputation with its _clients._ It doesn't
   matter that others hold the agency in poor regard. Conversely, the agency 
   _needs_ a good reputation with its clients, it doesn't matter that others
   hold it in _high_ regard.
   
To conclude, I don't believe that crypto anarchy will significantly change the
_amount_ of murders and such crimes. Or even the ability of the law enforcement
to solve them (even without crypto, hardly any murders are solved by tapping
phones). Crypto anarchy will only make it possible to be involved in such 
activity from anywhere in the world, just as cyberspace will enable lots of
others to interact more conveniently.

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Rishab Aiyer Ghosh             "Clean the air! clean the sky! wash the wind!
rishab@dxm.ernet.in                   take stone from stone and wash them..."
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