Seasteading: A Positive Future Scenario by Patri Friedman

[VictorLepanto]

Does the irony of all this strike anyone else as it strikes me? Libertarianism theoretically emphasizes how human social order arrises spontaneously from our natures. It thus is sceptical of the power of a central state to plan any society properly. Seasteading presents a society that is utterly artificial & must be planned literally from before the beginning.

I am generally sympathetic to libertarian thinking, but its flaws in contradictions are becoming ever more apparent.

[Alternate2GOP]

Voting with your house? Now THAT is society by innovation!

[LikeMindedIncident]

Great idea but as always, human nature brings everything down. What laws will govern all this, by whom? Won't be long before there's crime and disputes and different rights groups and so on.

To make this work, a bit, it would have to be exclusive and verging on totalitarian rule/governance.

If it's gonna look like Dubai or something and inaccessable to many then it's just another division, another form of flight by the wealthy who can see that many major cities are turning into hellholes.

[Harzburgitic]

they'll find a way to go to war with the seasteaders. Soon it'll just be another society and they'll fall into political ballyhoo.

[pmacribs]

I find it interesting that Patri is an advocate for incremental progress in his seasteading ventures, but finds that incremental progress in our existing societies is too far gone (or just not worth his time). There is no doubt that he is an innovator and a brilliant guy...would hate to lose the entire libertarian population to the sea.

[smokinitup543]

I agree with you man, everybody should choose the way they want to live. It's our life, let us do with it what we want. You should do like your grandfather and get cannabis legalized too, then you'd be legend.

[hellcat059]

Where do I move to get some peace and quiet around here?

[advancedatheist]

One problem: Pirates, like the ones who've taken over Somalia. If the world economy continues to break down, we could eventually see Chinese pirates raiding the West Coast and Icelandic pirates raiding the Atlantic seaboard.

[picapauengracado]

Patri discusses that, among other issues, in an interview over econtalk(dot)org.

[Blucius13]

You do not draw the distinctions between the ordered capitalist anarchies thought upon by Patri his father, and possibly of rothbard and the orderless mess in somalia. Patri's version would not be without rule of law just without coercive government action.

[freeerteee]

There are already many Chinese pirates along with the Malays raiding The Straits of Malacca.

Of all people, Icelandics, the most literate nation on Earth, are not likely to follow the ways of their medieval ancestors. I could see Mauritanian and Western Saharan pirates emulating Somalia in the Atlantic.