Comments on: Let’s Try Everything – Local Autonomy And Innovation In Government

By: Daily Caller Picks Seasteading Op-Ed as Third Most Interesting of 2011

Daily Caller Picks Seasteading Op-Ed as Third Most Interesting of 2011 — Wed, 25 Jan 2012 14:36:51 +0000

[...] of governance) can be tested and improved. On this theme, Patri writes, “If we could somehow unleash the entrepreneurial spirit upon government in a low-stakes environment, we would see progress without unacceptable levels of risk. Rules would [...]

By: Daily Caller Picks Seasteading Op-Ed as Third Most Interesting of 2011

Daily Caller Picks Seasteading Op-Ed as Third Most Interesting of 2011 — Sat, 14 Jan 2012 04:15:29 +0000

By: klimmklimm

klimmklimm — Sun, 20 Sep 2009 12:31:44 +0000

Perfect work! Gluttony kills more men than the sword. Good health is above wealth

By: Paul Romer Supports a Cambrian Explosion in Government « Structure & Conduct

Thu, 23 Jul 2009 01:11:18 +0000

[...] in order that society may progress. Of course, these ideas are not new, see here, here, & here, but Romer is merely remaining true to the theory by “entering, copying, & [...]

By: Keith

Keith — Wed, 01 Jul 2009 04:23:27 +0000

I agree that we should try various strategies. Certainly that is happening right now, especially in New Hampshire. The freedom activists in Keene, NH are trying something completely different than activists anywhere else in the nation. Likewise, the activists in Grafton, NH are trying something different than in most of the nation. Shall the best town or city be the most free. Hopefully if it works in one part of NH, it can be tried in other parts of the nation where there are few people interested in freedom.

By: Dwight Johnson

Dwight Johnson — Tue, 30 Jun 2009 13:21:04 +0000

One of the keywords of this article (key phrase?) is “competitive government”. What we have now, everywhere, is monopolistic, anti-competitive government. Yet most Americans understand that it is thru competition that real innovation takes place, not thru monopoly. I don’t think they have developed a blind spot regarding innovation and competition when it comes to government. They are simply too afraid to challenge the status quo, to demand real choice when it comes to government. A thousand nations would provide the environment for competition and innovation that Americans and the whole world need to move beyond the sorry state of government that we see everywhere.

By: patrissimo

patrissimo — Tue, 30 Jun 2009 02:41:23 +0000

I agree that secession within the US is very problematic. However, an increase in support for secession can manifest itself in local movements like the FSP or escape movements like seasteading once secessionists realize they are a disenfrachised minority. Also, there is lots of precedent for secession around the world, especially in more geographically distributed places, like UK colonies.

Another thing to keep in mind is that the increasing strain of the US demographic shift, entitlement spending, etc. may increase general public support for secession as part of the general slow disintegration of the US federal government (if things go that way).

By: Peter

Peter — Tue, 30 Jun 2009 00:20:08 +0000

My problem with the idea is that secession as competitive threat only works if there is any serious fear that it can succeed. As it stands, there is not only no precedent for successful secession, but no groundswell of public opinion favoring it, that might make it a future success. You might persuade 5-10% of the public, but the other 90% will have a visceral reaction against the idea of secession (what do you mean, you want to bring slavery back?), which would poison the well against libertarian incentives and federalist thought.

Given the limited extent of libertarian political strength, it would be better to either concentrate and influence local policy, as the Free State Project does, or work outside the system, as the seasteading movement does. Secession will remain a domain of the cranks.

By: Secession Week Blogging, Monday, Intro To Secession « Let A Thousand Nations Bloom

Mon, 29 Jun 2009 19:37:44 +0000

[...] Patri has written a post introducing our unique approach to making government work better: Let’s Try Everything: Local Autonomy and Innovation In Government. [...]

By: Dwight Johnson

Dwight Johnson — Mon, 29 Jun 2009 19:34:16 +0000

Patrissimo, I was introduced to this blog only yesterday by my friend, Adam Knott, but I am quite impressed. I agree wholeheartedly in the concept of a thousand nations. As for getting it to happen, my focus is on the lowest level of goverment, the municipality. And my wedge is the little known concept of panarchy, a word with many definitions. One that certainly fits is that it is the right of personal secession. I am working now on a website called Panarchy South Jersey, which, as the name implies, is aimed and creating multiple governments in the small towns of the southern half of New Jersey.