Interesting guy! Also a member of the socialist First International.
Both right- and left-wing liberals/libertarians/anarchists were influenced by his writings. They should get out of their dugouts and remember the common values ;-)
All the great establishments, of every kind, now in the hands of a few proprietors, but employing a great number of wage labourers, would be broken up; for few or no persons, who could hire capital and do business for themselves would consent to labour for wages for another
The big difference is that you can plan what government is going to take from you, and when - so you can base your actions on it.
Doesn't work with street robbers ;-)
I don't know about your country, but in mine the tax code is over three thousand pages of fine print. It is deliberately so. You cannot compete with those who can afford the tax lawyers and accountants. Deliberately so.
Governments suck, no doubt ;-) But nevertheless, I know when I cash out my BTC they will take 45% of it. Right now I avoid it by not cashing out. Still looking for a long-term solution :D
You have to report them the moment you get them. Or you'll need to find a good explanation where they're from when you cash them in later. As soon as local currency is involved they know for sure.
The ideas for basic income are based on the current situation, not on an utopia where people are free.
Do you want the old thieves to stay with their wealth and the poor to keep getting poorer, or do you just refuse any change to the system due to it being screwed up so much? What's your proposal to give people freedom? Revolution can't be it, that'd require a lot of violence. I've only seen negations from you so far, nothing constructive at all.
Of course fiat money is a form of (attempted) violence. I don't own a credit card. Do you?
I am not forced to accept government money as payment. I do not submit to that. I make private contracts with those I do commerce with. We deal in any form of payment to which we both agree. I pay my Fort Galt membership in Bitcoin so far, but hopefully Steem Dollars next round.
If someone claims they no longer owe me for a service I performed which we both agree should be paid in silver because they now offer to pay me in fiat, well, the government will say their debt is extinguished. But I will never do business with them again.
No credit card either. I had a wild youth, and while I'm settled and debt-free since a couple of years I guess my credit score still wouldn't allow it if I wanted one.
Your way to deal with it works for you, and that's awesome. But it's also a bit short-sighted, or at least egocentric. Imagine you're running a restaurant or something, wouldn't be that easy to avoid dollars then.
The proposals we discuss aren't meant for our kind, but for the average person. Most are trapped in the hamster wheel, working their ass off to have next to nothing left in the end.
The greatest value in life for me is being able to decide for yourself how to spend your time. And when ways to give that opportunity to a lot of people emerge in the political discussion I can't refuse them only because I reject the whole system for myself.
I just saw this now. You expect immediate replies from me? You are going to have to put me on retainer then :-)
I have over 60 screens open on 6 different devices. I am communicating at any given time with people in a dozen countries all over the world.
link me to the comments you are expecting replies to and I will try to deal with them as I can.
Great :) I would've especially wished for an answer to this one, because I think that could move our discussion forward instead of running in circles.
The question in the comment below is also serious. How can a government steal government issued money? To me, legal tender itself is a form of violence, because you're forced to accept it as payment.
" Imagine you're running a restaurant or something, wouldn't be that easy to avoid dollars then."
What does freedom have to do with easy?
" And when ways to give that opportunity to a lot of people emerge in the political discussion I can't refuse them only because I reject the whole system for myself."
No matter how much you may want to, there are some things you just can't "give" to others. Such as experience. Such as understanding. Such as the results of your having spent 10,000 hours of disciplined dedication to acquire a skill. Such as a feeling of accomplishment and self respect.
Freedom is restricted by economic constraints. With "not so easy" I wanted to say they'd go out of business when they did that. Only because it works for you doesn't mean it works for anyone else. Especially those dealing with a lot of small amounts. Putting up a sign "only accepting bitcoin or silver" on your restaurant door would either make customers stay away, or they'd eat and tell you they only have dollars. You can't simply say you won't do business with them any more, except maybe with face recogintion software tracking your guests...
No matter how much you may want to, there are some things you just can't "give" to others. Such as experience. Such as understanding. Such as the results of your having spent 10,000 hours of disciplined dedication to acquire a skill. Such as a feeling of accomplishment and self respect.
Right. I was only talking about free time though. How they spend it is their decision, and if they decide to waste it it's their own loss.
Interesting guy! Also a member of the socialist First International.
Both right- and left-wing liberals/libertarians/anarchists were influenced by his writings. They should get out of their dugouts and remember the common values ;-)
The big difference is that you can plan what government is going to take from you, and when - so you can base your actions on it.
Doesn't work with street robbers ;-)
Yes, predictable robbery.
Avoidable even
I don't know about your country, but in mine the tax code is over three thousand pages of fine print. It is deliberately so. You cannot compete with those who can afford the tax lawyers and accountants. Deliberately so.
Governments suck, no doubt ;-) But nevertheless, I know when I cash out my BTC they will take 45% of it. Right now I avoid it by not cashing out. Still looking for a long-term solution :D
Well, the good thing is ... "you can plan what government is going to take from you, and when - so you can base your actions on it.".
How does government know about your BTC?
You have to report them the moment you get them. Or you'll need to find a good explanation where they're from when you cash them in later. As soon as local currency is involved they know for sure.
In Germany, you report Bitcoin.
In Soviet Merika, Bitcoin reports you.
Getting robbed every paycheck then . Lol
It would be well to post this on all the "basic income" threads sprouting up as the first hurdle to be passed before designing their perfect system.
The ideas for basic income are based on the current situation, not on an utopia where people are free.
Do you want the old thieves to stay with their wealth and the poor to keep getting poorer, or do you just refuse any change to the system due to it being screwed up so much? What's your proposal to give people freedom? Revolution can't be it, that'd require a lot of violence. I've only seen negations from you so far, nothing constructive at all.
I guess I can't expect an answer here. I didn't get one on the other replies to your comments either.
Of course fiat money is a form of (attempted) violence. I don't own a credit card. Do you?
I am not forced to accept government money as payment. I do not submit to that. I make private contracts with those I do commerce with. We deal in any form of payment to which we both agree. I pay my Fort Galt membership in Bitcoin so far, but hopefully Steem Dollars next round.
If someone claims they no longer owe me for a service I performed which we both agree should be paid in silver because they now offer to pay me in fiat, well, the government will say their debt is extinguished. But I will never do business with them again.
No credit card either. I had a wild youth, and while I'm settled and debt-free since a couple of years I guess my credit score still wouldn't allow it if I wanted one.
Your way to deal with it works for you, and that's awesome. But it's also a bit short-sighted, or at least egocentric. Imagine you're running a restaurant or something, wouldn't be that easy to avoid dollars then.
The proposals we discuss aren't meant for our kind, but for the average person. Most are trapped in the hamster wheel, working their ass off to have next to nothing left in the end.
The greatest value in life for me is being able to decide for yourself how to spend your time. And when ways to give that opportunity to a lot of people emerge in the political discussion I can't refuse them only because I reject the whole system for myself.
I just saw this now. You expect immediate replies from me? You are going to have to put me on retainer then :-)
I have over 60 screens open on 6 different devices. I am communicating at any given time with people in a dozen countries all over the world.
link me to the comments you are expecting replies to and I will try to deal with them as I can.
Great :) I would've especially wished for an answer to this one, because I think that could move our discussion forward instead of running in circles.
The question in the comment below is also serious. How can a government steal government issued money? To me, legal tender itself is a form of violence, because you're forced to accept it as payment.
" Imagine you're running a restaurant or something, wouldn't be that easy to avoid dollars then."
What does freedom have to do with easy?
" And when ways to give that opportunity to a lot of people emerge in the political discussion I can't refuse them only because I reject the whole system for myself."
No matter how much you may want to, there are some things you just can't "give" to others. Such as experience. Such as understanding. Such as the results of your having spent 10,000 hours of disciplined dedication to acquire a skill. Such as a feeling of accomplishment and self respect.
Freedom is restricted by economic constraints. With "not so easy" I wanted to say they'd go out of business when they did that. Only because it works for you doesn't mean it works for anyone else. Especially those dealing with a lot of small amounts. Putting up a sign "only accepting bitcoin or silver" on your restaurant door would either make customers stay away, or they'd eat and tell you they only have dollars. You can't simply say you won't do business with them any more, except maybe with face recogintion software tracking your guests...
Right. I was only talking about free time though. How they spend it is their decision, and if they decide to waste it it's their own loss.
Me? Refusing any change? You've got to be kidding. I am leading the revolution. I am becoming Master of Myself.