From: Bryan Moss (bryan.moss@dial.pipex.com)
Date: Sun Jun 28 1998 - 09:03:41 MDT
den Otter wrote:
> > The cost for building the country is
> > $216,439,000, which seems quite cheap to me
> > (although well out of my price range). Giving
> > some ingenuity I think it would be possible to
> > raise enough cash to build offshore Extropia.
>
> In fact, relatively cheap as it is, you could
> start a "country" for much less.
This would be entirely against the ideals of the
New Utopians but could you realistically steal the
money? Actually, while I'm out on a
less-than-ethical whim, how about a chemical
weapons factory? That could bring in some serious
money. Euthanasia resorts (next door to the
longevity centre!)? My own private drugs cartel?
Could you hide the island in a sort of
super-villain way? We could invite homeless
people (or condemned criminals) to experience
paradise in exchange for them acting as human
guinea pigs for our advanced medical research.
> > Instead of having a constitutional monarchy, I
> > would have a complete free market, i.e. you
> > buy your office/house, and it's yours. No
> > taxes, no laws, just pure capitalism.
>
> In any case there would have to be some
> agreements regarding island defense, pollution
> & other damaging behaviour etc. Rudimentary
> laws, but nothing like modern bureaucracies, of
> course. Just the "golden rule" & some practical
> stuff.
I'd rather have contracts between companies than a
centralised system of enforcement. Although
commanding my own military has a certain appeal
(especially if I get a big control room).
> > Start off with the monopoly on PPA
> > services, etc. and then invite other companies
> > to join in. Anyone want to help out?
>
> Sure, I'd love to be involved in such a project.
> As I explained in other mails, the advantages of
> having your own country are enormous, especially
> for transhumnists/cryonicists.
I wonder if it would cost more to have your own
country where you can do things declared unethical
(human cloning, germ line therapy, etc.) or a
research centre and a really good PR guy.
BM
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