Wanted: one tropical paradise for file-sharing, freedom

[CNHT]

http://arstechnica.com/news.ars/post/20070202-8762.html

Wanted: one tropical paradise for file-sharing, freedom
2/2/2007 12:53:59 PM, by Nate Anderson


The dream refuses to die. After The Pirate Bay failed in its quest to buy Sealand, some supporters of the idea believed that the idea of a libertarian paradise was too precious to drop, and they entertained hopes of hoisting the "live free or die" flag over another island, possibly Ile de Caille, a small and uninhabited island off the South American coast.

Thus began the Free Nation Foundation, a group that hopes to form its own country governed by a "philosophy of freedom" where "people could actually live" (as opposed to all those other countries, where living has been outlawed by tyrants).

The failure of the Sealand deal, it turns out, was a good thing. The rusting naval platform "was too small and aesthetically displeasing to support such a goal," according to the group, and the weather in the middle of the English Channel is not the stuff of which vacation fantasies are made.

The Free Nation Foundation is a bit like the Free State Project on steroids. The Free Staters hope to convince 20,000 committed libertarians to pull up stakes and relocate to New Hampshire, a state chosen for its long history of independence, its low tax rate, and its unrestrictive gun laws that allow people to pack heat anywhere except in a courtroom, without even picking up a permit.

The Free Nation Foundation hopes for something similar, but their focus is more global. The idea is that libertarians from around the world will converge on an island paradise where they can live truly free lives, a place where "the only valid restrictions are those upon actions that disallow the freedom of others."

Suggested principles for the place include absolute democracy and the free flow of information?as a group that sprung from The Pirate Bay, we imagine that information will flow very freely. The idea is still in the incubation period, though if it ever comes to fruition, it would be a fascinating sociological experiment (documentary filmmakers, are you listening?). Would it end up like utopia, or Lord of the Flies?

[Brock]

Yep.  Got all excited when you posted this.  Then, read through their forum.  Already positing collectivism as "the way to go" before they've even gotten started.

Nevermind.

[CNHT]

Yep.  Got all excited when you posted this.  Then, read through their forum.  Already positing collectivism as "the way to go" before they've even gotten started.

Nevermind.

I just thought it was interesting that they mentioned the FSP as matter of factly as they did, a house hold word?

Where did they start talking about collectivism? I did not read any other part of the site... (good that it was exposed though)

[Dan]

Leave collectivism to torrent downloads where it belongs.   

[Sweet Mercury]

Yep.  Got all excited when you posted this.  Then, read through their forum.  Already positing collectivism as "the way to go" before they've even gotten started.

Nevermind.

I just thought it was interesting that they mentioned the FSP as matter of factly as they did, a house hold word?

Where did they start talking about collectivism? I did not read any other part of the site... (good that it was exposed though)

Glancing through their forums, it doesn't seem that their members are really grounded in any sort of libertarian theory or knowledge of markets. A lot of talk about building Utopia, some Money=Evil discussion, some talk about how to have all the benefits of a Free-Market economy within a communistic society...

[aries]

I had a short talk with anakata about this on IRC and sent him some links to island selling sites. Their plan for now seems to be let the money trickle in... they can't afford to divert ad money or commissions from clothing sales to the fund, as the site is already running at a loss.

This is not a political venture - they intend to allow visitors to the island but as you can imagine, are just a couple of guys that might not always be there.