[2017-09-16] Julian Assange Supports Bitcoin As Ways to Free Catalonia From Spai

[moriskarlov]

Julian Assange Supports Bitcoin As Ways to Free Catalonia From Spain’s Dictate

A recent report from BBC News indicates that the Spanish government will seize control of the finances of the autonomous region of Catalonia within 48 hours, if they don’t stop the ‘illegal’ referendum vote regarding independence.

Jullian Assange, the freedom-touting founder of Wikileaks, quickly tweeted his support of the referendum, as well as a comment on the importance of Bitcoin in this regard.

Support from Wikileaks

The vote was proposed after years of the wealthy region paying into the central government far more than it received in public services. The Spanish government has threatened to take control of all financial transactions in order to stop the spending of state funds on illegal acts. Spain’s finance minister Cristobal Montoro is categorical:

    "These measures are to guarantee that not one euro will go toward financing illegal acts.”

Paying for independence

The reality that Bitcoin represents a non-government controlled currency that can function without centralized government systems, makes it immune to geopolitical upheaval. This value-stability principle is what has made many industry insiders call it ‘digital gold.’

Assange’s post would indicate that those who desire freedom of finance and removal of government strong-arming and restrictive practices, should be heavily in favor of Bitcoin and other cryptocurrencies. 

As liquidity and use-cases for Bitcoin increase, its position as a supra-governmental currency will continue to stabilize.

https://cointelegraph.com/news/julian-assange-supports-bitcoin-as-ways-to-free-catalonia-from-spains-dictate

[gentlemand]

I think it's around 50 years too early for any regional or national government to protect themselves with BTC. I don't think it's too clever to bet the wages of hundreds of thousands of public sector workers on a few manipulators on piece of shit exchanges.

[spoon-bender]

... I don't think it's too clever to bet the wages of hundreds of thousands of public sector workers on a few manipulators on piece of shit exchanges.

you are describing the reality of every single pension fund in existence today.

[gentlemand]

you are describing the reality of every single pension fund in existence today.

In principle it is indeed the same, but they're operating on markets established for centuries with liquidity orders of magnitude larger that are also subject to actual regulations.

[Carlton Banks]

I think it's around 50 years too early for any regional or national government to protect themselves with BTC. I don't think it's too clever to bet the wages of hundreds of thousands of public sector workers on a few manipulators on piece of shit exchanges.

While it's not likely to happen with Catalonia (there is indeed too much at stake for the Catalonians to be so bold), you're probably wrong with your 50 year prediction. It will only take some smaller regime/economy to be threatened by some bullying external actor for the sufficient desperation to manifest itself. And then the illiquidity you're bemoaning will be very much less an issue. Less than 10 years would be my prediction, but lots more bottom-up adoption will likely happen before any significant top-down moves, of course.