Free markets and crypto

[Tim May <tcmay@got.net>]

At 7:58 PM -0700 6/30/97, Declan McCullagh wrote:
>Ah, but what is a market except voluntary transactions between people?
>What is good for the market is good for the people.
>

I certainly agree with this, if the proper interpretations of terms are made.

Unfortunately, there is a growing distinction being made between "voluntary
transactions" of _people_ and of _corporations_.

(The most stunning example of this, as Declan of course knows, being the
"Title 7" stuff in the Civil Rights Act, which takes away a person's right
to associtate with persons with whom he wishes to associate--he can't
choose to hire only Chinese, or no cripples, or only Mormons, and so on.)

And in the crypto debate, the term "market" has mostly been interpreted by
people to mean: Netscape, Microsoft, PGP, RSADSI, C2net, Verisign, etc.

I don't believe corporations have any more rights--or any more
restrictions--than individuals do. So in this sense I agree with Declan's
point. But my view is in a minority.

Thus, care is warranted when discussing "market solutions."

--Tim May

There's something wrong when I'm a felon under an increasing number of laws.
Only one response to the key grabbers is warranted: "Death to Tyrants!"
---------:---------:---------:---------:---------:---------:---------:----
Timothy C. May              | Crypto Anarchy: encryption, digital money,
tcmay@got.net  408-728-0152 | anonymous networks, digital pseudonyms, zero
W.A.S.T.E.: Corralitos, CA  | knowledge, reputations, information markets,
Higher Power: 2^1398269     | black markets, collapse of governments.
"National borders aren't even speed bumps on the information superhighway."