But I'm just wondering how in the world they hope to deal with existing governments since their reaction to any kind of serious alternatives, especially one that either economically or ideologically presented a significant challenge, is bound to not be positive.
Actually, make that "government" in the singular. In a world of many competing governments, it would still be a difficult problem, but at least there might be ways of securing some independence by playing them against each other or looking for weakly policed border zones. Nowadays, however, the U.S. government acts a single global authority that you have to contend with, and it has little tolerance for regimes that are outside of certain approved bounds.
So my predictions are pessimistic -- assuming their project gets anywhere, the seasteaders will either end up building something fairly unremarkable or they will cross the line and be destroyed. Of course, this destruction doesn't have to be in the form of a military intervention; economic and PR pressures, both formal and informal, are likely to be sufficient.
Moldbug wrote a good analysis along these lines a while ago (you can start reading from the point where he says "Now, let's talk about seasteading...").
Actually, make that "government" in the singular. ... Nowadays, however, the U.S. government acts a single global authority that you have to contend with, and it has little tolerance for regimes that are outside of certain approved bounds.
If the seastead existed somewhere in the North Sea and the Dutch, German, Belgian and British governments approved its existence while the U.S. didn't (because it feared realization of a libertarian utopia; no terrorist group on the seastead assumed), how likely do you think they would try to put it down by force? And how likely if it were in the Yellow Sea?
Recently the relatively awesome entrepreneur invested 1.25 million USD into this (seasteading institute website here).
It seems such a wonderful concept, finally somewhere where new forms of government could be tried out. But I'm just wondering how in the world they hope to deal with existing governments since their reaction to any kind of serious alternatives, especially one that either economically or ideologically presented a significant challenge, is bound to not be positive.
I was just wondering what LWer thoughts are on this matter? Also has there been any discussion of seasteading in the past that I've missed? Also I'm wondering if anyone would hazard to perhaps offer a prediction or judge how likley this is to succeed (maybe on predictionbook)?