[liberationtech] Bitcoin and The Public Function of Money

[StealthMonger]

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Gregory Maxwell <greg at xiph.org> writes:

> On Tue, Oct 30, 2012 at 9:51 PM, StealthMonger
> <StealthMonger at nym.mixmin.net> wrote:
>> Yes, Bitcoin liberates trade from "public" extortion ("taxation").

> It does no such thing.

Not true.  Look at the sources:

   ... Bitcoin can be considered to be another variety of cash,
   i.e. digital cash. ... and cash can also be used for tax evasion
   purposes. [1] [2]

   Bitcoin prevents inflation and helps tax evation [sic] (the system
   itself is hard to regulate) [3]

> Under US law, for example, Barter in Bitcoins is just as taxable as ...

States describe their pronouncements as "law" in an effort make them
respectable.

> Many Bitcoin users I know are kind and thoughtful people and all of
> the developers I know are.

Are you suggesting that there is something unkind or thoughtless about
promoting a free market?

> Tying it back to the list topic.

Seems to be on-topic.  From the liberationtech Info Page:

   The Program on Liberation Technology "Liberationtech" seeks to
   understand how information technology can be used to defend human
   rights, improve governance, empower the poor, promote economic
   development, and pursue a variety of other social goods. [4]

By these criteria, Bitcoin discussion qualifies.

> There are some interesting challenges in the context of anonymity
> systems (in particular) which I think that Bitcoin, and technologies
> from its ecosystem, can contribute to improving.  Generally
> preventing denial of service from resource starvation or spam is
> frustrated when participants are anonymous.

Resource starvation?  Anonymous markets have thrived throughout
history, and probably before.

[1] http://www.ecb.europa.eu/pub/pdf/other/virtualcurrencyschemes201210en.pdf

[2] "tax evasion" is their euphemism for successful defense against
their extortion.

[3] http://shadowlife.cc/files/btcotc.pdf

[4] https://mailman.stanford.edu/mailman/listinfo/liberationtech


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 -- StealthMonger <StealthMonger at nym.mixmin.net>


Key: mailto:stealthsuite at nym.mixmin.net?subject=send%20stealthmonger-key

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