Re: New Utopia

den Otter (neosapient@geocities.com)
Sat, 27 Jun 1998 18:30:22 +0200


Bryan Moss wrote:
>
> den Otter wrote:
>
> > http://www.new-utopia.com/
> >
> > What do you think?
>
> I want one...

Me too! :-)

> 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. Just three platforms or so
and/or some old ships to start you up. If it's mobile,
you can open a floating Las Vegas outfit in just about
any part of the world as long as you stay outside the
20-mile jurisdiction. The ideal combination would be
an artificial island somewhere beyond the 200-mile
EEZs as a permanent, and completely free place to
live, while modified (old) ships (a medium-sized
cruise ship in good condition can sometimes be
bought for 2-3 million $ or less - and you can start
out with for example Russian freighters or navy vessels
which are cheaper still) are used to make money near
population centers. This way you can have your cake
and eat it too. As your income grows, the island grows.

> 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.

> 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.