From: merriman@metronet.com (David K. Merriman)
Date: Thu, 29 Sep 94 14:50:23 PDT
To: cypherpunks@toad.com
Subject: Electronic Revolution and Guerilla Warfare?
Message-ID: <199409292149.AA06255@metronet.com>
MIME-Version: 1.0
Content-Type: text/plain


What with the governments of several nations around the world starting to
get a bit heavy-handed with their populaces, I was wondering how a
modern-day revolution could take place in a crypto-repressive society, and
how the citizenry could sufficiently rattle/displace such a government so as
to regain control over their destinies.

For the purpose of discussion, I'd like to propose the following
"environmental variables":
> majority of the population unable/unwilling to do more than complain.
> minority of the population not sure of how to fight the process, but
willing to support those that do know.
> some number (small) of those capable of crypto or other electronic mayhem
depart the country in a short period bridging the implementation of
repressive government controls and laws.
> There are varying permutations of the crypto/electronic-capable, and the
force-capable (ie, hackers-only to bomb-makers-only, and anything in between).
> said government uses all means at it's disposal to try and apprehend those
attempting to resist, as well as intercept communications, prevent damage to
it's infrastructure and physical entities.
> at the start of government "hostilities", all intra-national anon
remailers are seized or shut down, and access to international ones is
*heavily* monitored or blocked (yeah, I know, but we're gaming here!).
> national identity medium (card, wristband, etc) in place and mandatory.
> travel, currency, and information transfer restrictions (ie, no more "How
to build a Backpack Nuke" or "How to hack the Tax Gestapo central computers"
books :-)

What problems would those willing to fight such government oppression be
likely to face?  How to deal with those problems?  How to organize and
exchange personnel/information?  How to not get caught?  How to avoid
detection? What means/methods of, um, dissonance against such a government
would be more/less effective? Under what various permutations of
electronic/physical bushwhacking would the process be successful or not?
Duration?  Other than the obvious crypto/cyber/military disciplines, what
other professions or specialized knowledge would be useful under what
conditions? What blatantly obvious thing(s) have I left out?

Dave Merriman
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