Poll: Political Affiliation of Bitcoiners

[kireinaha]

I've been wondering about this for awhile. Bitcoin is often marketed as a project backed by the enthusiasm of its libertarian supporters, but the more I talk to people on the streets and read posts from members of this forum and reddit, I get the impression that many bitcoiners are liberals?

This doesn't really make sense to me, given that liberals tend to prefer larger government and taxation. What is the political breakdown of this forum, and if liberal, can you help me explain why you support bitcoin?

[HairyMaclairy]

I am a small 'l' liberal.  That doesn't mean I am not concerned about 'bail in' and what happened in Cypress.  

Don't confuse a desire to help out poor people even if it means higher taxes (I earn enough to make a contribution to others) with a tolerance for bad governance.  

For me bitcoins are part of a diversified portfolio. I don't believe it will replace fiat but I have no intention of being caught out if it does (I have been wrong before).

More importantly, technology is politically agnostic.  It may have come from the crypto anarchist movement but I think we all recognise that this is potentially bigger than what has traditionally been a very small subset of society. (I had never heard of crypto anarchy until I learn about Bitcoin).

[timewave0]

No "anarchist" option? I support bitcoin because it's truly free. Transparency, potential for anonymity, no central authority, no coercion. Maybe most importantly, it's interesting. Modern central-bank fiat is interesting too, if you actually learn how it works, but interesting in a depressing/infuriating way. Bitcoin is the opposite.

[bryant.coleman]

The poll could have been a bit more refined. We all know that the vast majority of the Bitcoiners are libertarians. So dividing Libertarians further would have been a good idea. Some new options could have been added, such as Anarcho-Libertarians. 

[BittBurger]

Some new options could have been added, such as Anarcho-Libertarians.  

What about crypto cypher punk anarcho liberalifundies?

Just use the poll as it is sheesh.

[Honeypot]

MFW liberals and conservatives are neck to neck

LOL

[beetcoin]

i'm definitely not conservative.. i like some liberal things as well as libertarian, but i can't really say that i would identify with one group over the other. both have drawbacks to me..

[TheButterZone]

So 11 for tyranny and 17 against right now...

[hilariousandco]

No "anarchist" option? I support bitcoin because it's truly free. Transparency, potential for anonymity, no central authority, no coercion. Maybe most importantly, it's interesting. Modern central-bank fiat is interesting too, if you actually learn how it works, but interesting in a depressing/infuriating way. Bitcoin is the opposite.

Libertarian Socialism is considered Anarchism, so vote Libertarian instead.

[Lethn]

I burst out laughing at your extremely simplified poll Also, are you talking about real liberals? Or the fake ones made up by neo-conservative propaganda?

Here's where I stand as 'You': http://www.politicalcompass.org/crowdchart.php?showform=&Mitt+Romney=7.0%2C6.5&Barack+Obama=6.0%2C6.0&Virgil+Goode=9.0%2C9.0&Gary+Johnson=9.5%2C0.0&Rocky+Anderson=4.5%2C-2.0&Jill+Stein=-3.0%2C-3.0&Stewart+Alexander=-5.0%2C-2.0&You=2.62,-7.49

[Hawker]

I voted Liberal.

Most rich countries are rich because of well run states that have separation of powers and legal systems that protect property rights.  The very rich countries also have governments that invest hugely in pure research that seeds the innovation for private entrepreneurs.  The jet engine, computer chip and the internet are fine examples of this.  In theory they could have been done privately but in practice governments put the seed money in and thus made sure their countries were richer.

I know some think Bitcoin is a threat to this.  Every time it comes up, we get the same "Bitcoin can't be taxed" vs. "Bitcoin can be taxed just like cash" discussion.

[quone17]

You know these polls are too simplistic.  I would say I'm more socially liberal but fiscally conservative but I have some libertarian views as well.  So it's really all about labels and that's what the press and gov. and rhetoric do to people, instead of you thinking about each issue and trying to come to a conclusion.

[guybrushthreepwood]

Sexually Liberal Feminist here.

[Spendulus]

i'm definitely not conservative.. i like some liberal things as well as libertarian, but i can't really say that i would identify with one group over the other. both have drawbacks to me..

I have puzzled about this for a long time, being very, very fiscally conservative and socially liberal.

But like it or not, the poll is accurate as it stands.  The reason is that every couple of years, it gets around time to vote.  And people do it, putting aside their 'differences and uniqueness' and they place a vote in what is best described as a binary decision process.

[kireinaha]

Thanks all for the feedback so far. I wanted to make this a simple poll without delving too far into the nuances of each political philosophy; I apologize if anarchists couldn't find an agreeable option between the three provided choices.  Perhaps that was an oversight on my part.

I see that libertarian is out in the lead currently, which I expected, but conservatives and liberals are both well represented. Perhaps there is something in bitcoin for everyone -- conservatives can enjoy the prospect of holding money in bitcoin to partially avoid (for now at least) the increasing drive in politics to increase taxes on wealth. Libertarians are attracted to the lack of a central bank. Also, from my experience, it seems that many young people are liberal and it just so happens that many bitcoin users are young and tech savvy individuals. Perhaps they enjoy the (somewhat) anonymous nature of bitcoin and the potential for black market trade, such as Silk Road, etc? (given that most liberals in the US are pro marijuana legalization).

[Mike Christ]

The poll could have been a bit more refined. We all know that the vast majority of the Bitcoiners are libertarians. So dividing Libertarians further would have been a good idea. Some new options could have been added, such as Anarcho-Libertarians. 

The refining quality wouldn't be in loosening the libertarian option, but tightening the authoritarian one.  Enough with these silly dichotomies.

[chowderman]

What about Independents that don't follow any of those three fucked up parties...lame.

[beetcoin]

What about Independents that don't follow any of those three fucked up parties...lame.

libertarians probably consider themselves independents, but they obviously follow an extremist/ideological script.

[hilariousandco]

What about Independents that don't follow any of those three fucked up parties...lame.

libertarians probably consider themselves independents, but they obviously follow an extremist/ideological script.

What's extremist about it?

[Lethn]

What about Independents that don't follow any of those three fucked up parties...lame.

libertarians probably consider themselves independents, but they obviously follow an extremist/ideological script.

What's extremist about it?

Free thought in a dictatorship is always extreme .