Bitcoin Forum

I just realised something today that sent a chill down my spine. Why would the government attack the existing bitcoin when it can fork bitcoin, create its own block chain and force everyone to use its own client that it controls?

They have a monopoly on force so could mandate that everyone uses the nifty new govcoin software. I can imagine the block chain dwarfing the existing block chain quite easily if the state created its own govcoin monopoly. They could then practically track every transaction in the network and force people to have a government registered govcoin address. Then they could tattoo it on your arm.....etc..etc...

:o

Am I wrong????

what for? Gov already have money totally controlled by them, so what is the need to make new ones?

That is the reason why anonimity and de-centralization is important. And bitcoin has both.

OMG, they could force us to wear silly hats too.

As mentioned they already have the money issuing pretty much in hand so I don't think they are going to switch to some cryptocurrency.

For those who are inclined to be paranoid: how do you know that Satoshi isn't already "the government"?

Once hyperinflation sets in they might consider it.

Its not paranoia its realism. We might never know what the motives are for satoshi.

No one is forcing anyone to use bitcoin so its a non issue really.

When the dollar becomes worthless they will look for a viable alternative and attempt to control it I have no doubt.

Just playing devils advocate here  :)

1. I highly doubt if satoshi is working for govs

2. Even if satoshi is working for government, that is a non issue because bitcoin is Open Source.
It does not matter what are satoshi's motives. Open Sourcing BTC solves everything.

If satoshi will be corrupted/bullied by government, we can always fork BTC ourselves. That is the beauty of OS.

Still, nobody can forbid using of "normal" bitcoin instead of govcoin once they put this in motion.
So there will be two way exchanges between govcoin and bitcoin, exactly as it is now between fiat currencies and bitcoin.

They can't force you to use a money if you don't want to. 

Sure, they can try.  And they have some success.  But the very existence of alternative money such as bitcoin proves you that they are failing.

you really think that alternative will be digital?
i do not know what should happen to make dollars worthless, but even if that will happen i do not think that gov will force someone to use new currency. You will just use what they will print :) Or you will not and you will have no money at all)) Or.. you can move to another gov with euros for example or rubles )))

Yes, me too.


Personally I'm certain that satoshi is not working for the gov. Bitcoin is clearly the product of an unconstrained mind.

I can see such things happening. They would dearly love to get away from cash and use electronic cash cards only.

Yes I doubt he is. No government would come up with decentralized money supplies. Although satoshi might be an alien dropped off here from planet x with advanced monetary formulas to free mankind from government control. :D


*downloads another david icke movie...

I am joking of course!

LOL ^ (2 x n!), n -> ∞.

Doesn't the government already hate Linux and the Free Software Foundation.
Also if you read Little Brother by Cory Doctorow you will see the power of sneaker net and the hopelessness of the government trying to stop it.
They can take away everything but as long we have notepad and a compiler we can be free.

Government hates everything that it cannot control.
Power hungry sickness.

Authority hungry sickness. ~fixed

You got to understand them : what would those guys do for a living if they had no-one to rule and to tax from ??

Having people work for them while they give stupid orders and pointless regulations, that's their job !  They are just defending it.

Thats why its silly to have a government. It attracts exactly the type of psycopath that enjoys those very things....and lawyers.

Does it even have to be a government to do this?

The OP was about forcing people to use a different fork. It's not going to happen, but any organization that could/would do that would be a government.

The government is the elephant in the room and if you think they would ever give up their monetary power to the slaves you are kidding... :)
 
Could a sufficiently large entity such as the state attach itself to the project and overwhelm it ?

Maybe it still has to have 50%+1 processing power or force people to use its own client which would be quite hard. At most kill the businesses that sell products for bitcoins. Then we still have TOR. Its a really tit for tat fight cat and mouse between who will be able to control or undermine who.

Fair enough. I laugh when people say bitcoin should be backed by metal when metal is easily confiscated....

I prefer my currency backed by cryptography. :)

Maybe one day gold will be backed by bitcoins.   :)

haha that would make the Austrian economists heads spin around.

LOL !

Or most likely the Bancor.

It will be great! :D

No, not really.  Austrians don't have problems with double backing, which is what a gold currency with a fixed convertability into Bitcoin would be.  Austrians only have problems with currencies that arise in an unnatural manner, such as every fiat currency in the world.  A gold standard is better than an unbacked fiat, mind you; but the best answer is to remove the monopolies that 'legal tender' laws grant to a particular national currency and let the actions of the people determine what they naturally trust.

BTW, those of you who assume that others whom you interact with on an Internet forum think like yourselves, should try to remember that it's is highly likely that you are being offensive to the very people that you are trying to amuse.

I don't understand this paragraph.  But I guess trying to be humoristic on Internet is even harder than I thought.

Or the people getting offended could realize that the people whose posts they're reading think differently from them and are very likely not trying to offend.

Let me sum it up.  I'm an Austrian Economist.  I don't find the implication that my peers and myself would have our 'heads spin' to be humorous.  I see it as evidence that those who write such things don't understand the ideas of those they attempt to belittle, in addition to a general case of inmaturity.  I have no doubt that some found this joke amusing, but it was posted on a public forum, presumedly with the intent of amusing forum membership.  Since I identify with the butt of your joke, I find it mildly offensive.

That's irrelevent.  It's not like it's so bad that I'm never going to get past it, but it's still bad form to offend your readership, even by accident.

Common sense doesn't come cheap, and that little pair of words has very different semantics value for different people. I don't know anything about Austrian economics, so I didn't find it funny nor offensive.

I do, however, try hard not to be part of any 'group'. I find no particular group fits my exact thoughts or feelings because there are, you know, other people with opinions in them. Taking offense because a joke was publicly made referencing whatever group you consider yourself to be part of is slightly immature, but saying so out loud sounds like you are not completely comfortable with your beliefs and feel the need to justify yourself.

There, I can derail a thread too! :p

PS: None of the above describes my own thoughts or ideas, at least not anymore. I tend to change my mind a lot.

   Police brutality and the state's monopoly on force is offensive not something written harmlessly on an online forum. It is no secret that bitcoin is viewed that way ,at least every time its brought up on mises.org the next post will invariably be that it has no backing. Its almost as certain as bitcoin's law. In fact it could be bitcoin's law no 2. You could say its an inside joke amongst everyone on this forum so leave it to me to point out the obvious.  :)

And just like forum members here, there are always those on Mises.org who are going to point out the obvious.