d'Anconia Posted August 17, 2011 Report Share Posted August 17, 2011 So as you might have heard Peter Thiel has invested in a free market island. http://www.digitaltrends.com/international/paypal-founder-peter-thiel-funds-bioshock-esque-project-to-construct-floating-sovereign-nations/ My only concern is that it will not be able to defend itself since other countries will probably have much larger armies. Now ideally... alot of the rich would move to that island that could potentially grow larger (as in more square miles) and leave the hippies, socialist, communists, middle-of-the-roaders to rot. Conversely if the do something wrong these same people will proclaim that free markets failed. What do you think? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rdrdrdrd Posted August 17, 2011 Report Share Posted August 17, 2011 He did it wrong, he shouldn't have told anyone about it, although I would love to move there. It reminds me of rapture from Bioshock, hopefully the writers of the game got the outcome wrong. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Eiuol Posted August 17, 2011 Report Share Posted August 17, 2011 (edited) My only concern is that it will not be able to defend itself since other countries will probably have much larger armies. In these hypothetical scenarios, I don't understand why you think any country with a much larger army would even care, especially when we're speaking of a floating city. What country in existence would do that? The US has in the past, but I'm not sure what a pseudo-country like this would have of value, ideologically speaking. Even current dictatorships aren't going on land acquisition binges. If you're away from the Middle East, there shouldn't be much of a threat of invasion by a very large army. Edited August 17, 2011 by Eiuol Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Zip Posted August 18, 2011 Report Share Posted August 18, 2011 It's much more concerning to me that this is being founded on Libertarian principals and that system's lack of a proper central government will lead to anarchy with the strong ruling the weak, and that failure will be laid at the feet of Laissez Faire/capitalism. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
d'Anconia Posted August 18, 2011 Author Report Share Posted August 18, 2011 In these hypothetical scenarios, I don't understand why you think any country with a much larger army would even care, especially when we're speaking of a floating city. What country in existence would do that? The US has in the past, but I'm not sure what a pseudo-country like this would have of value, ideologically speaking. Even current dictatorships aren't going on land acquisition binges. If you're away from the Middle East, there shouldn't be much of a threat of invasion by a very large army. Yes as I think about it you're absolutely right! So just forget I said anything. It's much more concerning to me that this is being founded on Libertarian principals and that system's lack of a proper central government will lead to anarchy with the strong ruling the weak, and that failure will be laid at the feet of Laissez Faire/capitalism. Well I think that depends on who's going to be on the island. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dante Posted August 18, 2011 Report Share Posted August 18, 2011 In these hypothetical scenarios, I don't understand why you think any country with a much larger army would even care, especially when we're speaking of a floating city. I think it would be viewed as little more than a 'tax haven' by our government, and they would want to annex it under the guise of closing a tax loophole. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
d'Anconia Posted August 18, 2011 Author Report Share Posted August 18, 2011 I think it would be viewed as little more than a 'tax haven' by our government, and they would want to annex it under the guise of closing a tax loophole. I don't think they could do that if the island was built in international waters. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Zip Posted August 18, 2011 Report Share Posted August 18, 2011 I don't think they could do that if the island was built in international waters. For what it is worth UNCLOS prohibits any such construct in international waters. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
blackdiamond Posted August 19, 2011 Report Share Posted August 19, 2011 (edited) **Mod Note: Merged Thread -Dante** A billionaire is seriously funding this project of creating islands that have full capitalist principles. Edited August 19, 2011 by Dante Merged Thread Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TheEgoist Posted August 19, 2011 Report Share Posted August 19, 2011 Okay, I am usually against all this Utopia building non-sense, but I am all down for this. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ObjectivistMathematician Posted August 22, 2011 Report Share Posted August 22, 2011 "Thiel and his partners envision a sort of cartel of governments forcing a competition between governments in desirability to attract the choicest citizens onto their barge." I don't like the sound of that. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ObjectivistMathematician Posted August 22, 2011 Report Share Posted August 22, 2011 Wait, never mind about that. The fact that he referred to ''their barge'' seems to imply that the different governments would rule over different geographical regions, i.e. different islands. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Zip Posted August 22, 2011 Report Share Posted August 22, 2011 Wait, never mind about that. The fact that he referred to ''their barge'' seems to imply that the different governments would rule over different geographical regions, i.e. different islands. Yes, they are Libertarians. And yes, they plan on having all these "barges" joined together. Competing Governments... The fun game every power hungry madman can play... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ObjectivistMathematician Posted August 22, 2011 Report Share Posted August 22, 2011 Yes, they are Libertarians. And yes, they plan on having all these "barges" joined together. Competing Governments... The fun game every power hungry madman can play... But it's not as if there will be different governments governing in the same geographical area (which, as we all know, could only cause a disaster), but different areas. It seems the governments would only be ''competing'' in the sense that I could move to whichever barge has the government I prefer. The same was the US and UK (and every other country) are ''competing governments'' in the sense that I can just move to whichever country I prefer. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Black Wolf Posted August 23, 2011 Report Share Posted August 23, 2011 (edited) Even if I'm concerned about the principles of this island, people may have to live here to get a job. LOL. Did he say where he'd build it? Edited August 23, 2011 by Black Wolf Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ObjectivistMathematician Posted August 23, 2011 Report Share Posted August 23, 2011 Did he say where he'd build it? IIRC, a couple hundred miles off the coast of San Francisco. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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