[A repost, but perhaps more relevant now.]
In my view, most of humanity would be happier if there were a widely respected mechanism to secede.
Among democracy's great virtues is that it tends to encourage peaceful succession,the peaceful transfer of power from one generation of leaders to another.
Prior to democracy's emergence, succession was often accompanied by war and violence, as various factions struggled for control. At a minimum, it was hard to do long-term planning, as you could not be certain what rules the new regime would implement.
With the spread of democratic institutions, succession became much more peaceful and predictable.
However, democracy in the US has many flaws. The US Federal government is far too large and distant, and subject to too little oversight.
When was the last time you felt you had any influence over what happens in Washington? Or even Sacramento?
US style democracy satisfies the demands of only the broadest coalitions. As a result, everyone must suffer to some degree under laws they believe oppressive, enforced by people they hate, and paid by taxes they resent.
For example, who among us would devote a quarter of every tax dollar to finance our current war machine?
But is it so surprising that our government is dysfunctional? We're currently trying to run a country of 350+ million people, with rules devised for a country of 3 million.
It's remarkable that things work as well as they do.
What if we had system for secession as widely respected as our mechanism for succession? What if we could gradually, peacefully divide up the country into smaller, more manageable countries?
Doing so would have many advantages:
* At a smaller scale, it would be more possible for citizens to provide better oversight over our government.
* We would not have to fight as much for power with those with values very different than our own. There would be fewer laws imposed upon us that we find pernicious.
* Macro-parasites--those who game the system to siphon resources for their own benefit--would be easier to fight.
* It'd be easier to achieve common goals, if most of the people in your country shared them.
* It'd encourage much more experimentation in governance, potentially leading to improved ways of getting along with each other.
In my view, the right to secede, should be viewed as fundamental as the other rights we enjoy--freedom of association, freedom of religion, freedom of exit, and the right to vote (among others).
However, we're still in the medieval stage when it comes to secession. There is no widely recognized ruleset for peaceful succession. As a result, secession only happens haphazardly, when a large enough group becomes unhappy enough and has sufficient power, to break off, and wage war, if necessary, to defend their secession.
What do y'all think? If you agree with my analysis, what do you think that ruleset should be? How do you think we should go about deriving it? Implementing it?
#secession
#seasteading
In my view, most of humanity would be happier if there were a widely respected mechanism to secede.
Among democracy's great virtues is that it tends to encourage peaceful succession,the peaceful transfer of power from one generation of leaders to another.
Prior to democracy's emergence, succession was often accompanied by war and violence, as various factions struggled for control. At a minimum, it was hard to do long-term planning, as you could not be certain what rules the new regime would implement.
With the spread of democratic institutions, succession became much more peaceful and predictable.
However, democracy in the US has many flaws. The US Federal government is far too large and distant, and subject to too little oversight.
When was the last time you felt you had any influence over what happens in Washington? Or even Sacramento?
US style democracy satisfies the demands of only the broadest coalitions. As a result, everyone must suffer to some degree under laws they believe oppressive, enforced by people they hate, and paid by taxes they resent.
For example, who among us would devote a quarter of every tax dollar to finance our current war machine?
But is it so surprising that our government is dysfunctional? We're currently trying to run a country of 350+ million people, with rules devised for a country of 3 million.
It's remarkable that things work as well as they do.
What if we had system for secession as widely respected as our mechanism for succession? What if we could gradually, peacefully divide up the country into smaller, more manageable countries?
Doing so would have many advantages:
* At a smaller scale, it would be more possible for citizens to provide better oversight over our government.
* We would not have to fight as much for power with those with values very different than our own. There would be fewer laws imposed upon us that we find pernicious.
* Macro-parasites--those who game the system to siphon resources for their own benefit--would be easier to fight.
* It'd be easier to achieve common goals, if most of the people in your country shared them.
* It'd encourage much more experimentation in governance, potentially leading to improved ways of getting along with each other.
In my view, the right to secede, should be viewed as fundamental as the other rights we enjoy--freedom of association, freedom of religion, freedom of exit, and the right to vote (among others).
However, we're still in the medieval stage when it comes to secession. There is no widely recognized ruleset for peaceful succession. As a result, secession only happens haphazardly, when a large enough group becomes unhappy enough and has sufficient power, to break off, and wage war, if necessary, to defend their secession.
What do y'all think? If you agree with my analysis, what do you think that ruleset should be? How do you think we should go about deriving it? Implementing it?
#secession
#seasteading