Any one listen to
episode 34 of Bitcoins and Gravy? The episode features the author of
Thieves Emporium, a book that presents a very plausible near-future America where privacy is violated by powerful governmental regulatory agencies, personal liberty sharply debulked in the hunt for "terrorists," and the exercise of constitutional freedoms, while still legal, face harsh extra-judicial penalties imposed by those that control government handouts and those that control the payment networks.
How could such abuse happen in the US? The author uses the Federal Reserve's power of inflation, or hyperinflation, to show how populations can be controlled by controlling the value of their money. Those that profit from regulation and restriction, for example, sellers of items with marginal production costs, seek to maintain their profits by using government to stamp out those that offer arbitrage services (example, books and pharmaceuticals are sold at vastly different prices in different geographic regions). In a troubled economy, more and more people find themselves in the position of being poor but compliant with regulations or being able to earn a living by facilitating victim-less crimes (assuming decreasing the profits of big companies via arbitrage is "victim-less").
How do ordinary folks in this future America earn a living without being imprisoned? Community. A community connected via encrypted internet communication, TOR, and anonymous internet access.
Oh, and money. But not just any money. Money that flows freely between individuals, unfettered by regulations that ease its confiscation or theft. Digital money. In function, if not form, the money used in the online community is very similar to Bitcoin. In the book, the author shows how populations can be controlled using paper money and how that can be resisted by using free money (free as in speech, not beer).
I'm not one for political conspiracies, but, I do think the issues raised by the book warrant thought. The book is a fun and fast paced exploration of this world, in large part as seen through eyes of a struggling widow with young twin girls. The heroine is a survivalist. Not a computer geek, but a mother. A mother that will do anything to provide for and protect her girls. Her entry into the online community, called the Badlands, and ultimate uncovering of a government conspiracy and escape from the country is a harrowing tale...and all too real feeling.
I recommend reading this book!
