Why is cryptoanarchy irreversible?

[snow]

> It appears to be widely believed that cryptoanarchy is irreversible.
> Everybody believes that the race to deploy or forbid strong cryptography
> will define the outcome for a long time.
> I can't think of a reason why this should be so.
> If the wide use of strong cryptography results in widely unpopular
> activities such as sarin attacks and political assassinations, it
> would not be all that hard to forbid it, even after deployment.
> I am curious why many people believe this is not true.
> 
    I can point to one circumstance which calls your belief into question:

    Prohibition.

    Alcohol was widely seen as a problem by people who didn't use it, and 
social pressures made many people who did use it vote to get rid of it. 

    Other people promptly got rich selling it to those who still wanted it.

    Alcohol is a little more obvious and harder to hide than crypto.


Petro, Christopher C.
petro at suba.com <prefered for any non-list stuff>
snow at smoke.suba.com