“It’s inevitable that if you have a legislative body, then over time the number of laws will increase, the taxes will increase, indebtedness will increase and the number of people who are not productive will increase. That is in my view, absolutely inevitable.
So you have to change the system… And I have made a proposal on how to do that.”
It’s another of my discussions from Montenegro again this week on the podcast and this time it’s part one of two conversations I had with none other than the Founder and President of the Free Cities Foundation himself, Titus Gebel.
Now, since most of you will know who Titus is I will keep this intro brief. Obviously, he has done many interviews before so I tried my best to keep this conversation away from the usual Free Private Cities talking points and delve a little deeper into the history of different city-state models and their modern-day incarnations. I also got to probe a little into Titus’s own history and motivations as well as some of his predictions for the future of the idea that government should be a service.
We recorded together on two separate occasions and part two of this conversation will be a deep dive into medieval city-states which is a discussion I’ve been pining to have for many months now, so look out for that one over the next few weeks.
Enjoy the conversation.
Transcript
Timothy Allen:
Well, I think you’ve done a lot of interviews. Just looking on our YouTube channel, there are hundreds of interviews with you, and I would imagine that when most people interview you, they come up with roughly the same questions. Is that right?
Titus Gebel:
That’s true, and it’s surprising how rarely new questions pop up.
I remember the last really new question was about half a year ago. Somebody asked me, “Who will build the cemeteries in the Free Private City?” That was a new question. That was a first-timer.
On the other hand, I cannot complain. It’s natural that if you hear about the Free Private Cities concept for the first time, some questions will pop up immediately.
It’s things like, “Is it for everyone, or do you have to be rich to be there?” and, “How do you protect against the host nation taking over?” and, “What about social security?”
Those are basically the main questions.
I have developed answers to them, because it is natural. Then the next level is more tricky questions, which people who have really thought themselves into the model have.
For example, what about contract changes? That is a very legitimate question. How do you deal with people who are born in the city? What about people coming later? Do they have a different contract? How do you manage that?
These are all legitimate second-level questions.
Then you have a lot of people who just do not fully get the model. They say, “It’s very important who owns the company, so if I’m the good guy, it’s okay, but if another one takes over, it’s bad.”
But that is not the model, because it’s a contract. It doesn’t play a role who owns the operating company. That is hard to understand for many people.
The other thing is democracy. If I say, “What I do is provide relatively limited services, and for everything else you are on your own,” why do you need a parliament if you can make decisions for yourself?
That is also very hard to understand for people who have lived their whole life in traditional legacy systems.
So this is more or less the universe of questions that normally pop up, and rightly so.
I am glad that I am at least invited to talk about it, because often, especially with mainstream journalists, they say, “He is against social security and against democracy,” without giving any explanation. They just try to put us in a bad light.
So I am happy for everyone who asks me why this model is working in this way and not another, because there is a reason for everything.
With the democracy thing, if you can decide for yourself, Timothy, then why do you need a parliament? You don’t. Self-determination is our model, not political participation.
This is, of course, different if the ruler of a city can make all kinds of decisions. Then you would definitely have to come back to a participation model. But this is something where I maybe haven’t yet found the ideal way to put it so that all people can understand. But I am also training.
Timothy Allen:
Maybe one good way to approach it might be to talk about examples from the past.
From my experience, I’m relatively new to these concepts, but I’ve sat down with almost 40 people now and had conversations around this topic. One of the things I’ve drawn from that is that without a working example, it’s all theory and hypothetical, which is not good.
We have examples like Próspera. On the spectrum of the model, we have an example. But really, I think maybe we have to look to the past to find working examples. Is that right?
It’s something I haven’t spoken a lot about on this podcast, and I’d quite like to find people who know about medieval cities, for example, that a lot of people refer to.
So maybe we could talk a little bit about that.
Titus Gebel:
Yes. I’ve studied all those models to find precedents, because I’m not the top-down guy who says, “I have an idea and now the whole world has to follow it.”
I was rather looking for what was working in the past and how we can transform this into today’s world.
Rightly, you say we need examples. That is also the reason why I am not only active in promoting the idea, but I also want to make it a reality.
I am a lawyer by education, later I got an MBA, but 20 years ago I stopped being a lawyer and became an entrepreneur in the mining sector. I built up a relatively successful company out of nothing with a partner, which is now producing 10,000 barrels of oil per day and had a gold mine and tungsten mine.
So I think my capacity for creating companies, I have to use that for this purpose now. That is what I will do for the rest of my life.
If you haven’t heard, I was involved in Próspera early on. I helped them design their legal structure. In the last two years, together with my partners, I negotiated with an African government to get a similar autonomy. Unfortunately, there was a change in government, and the new leader didn’t like the idea. That is what can happen, and that will happen again.
Coming back to working examples, we will create new working examples, so it is much easier to point to people and say, “This is how it looks,” instead of explaining a theoretical concept.
But if you go back in time, before we come to the medieval cities, I would not go back that far. Let’s go back to the 1960s, with the first special economic zones.
One of the blueprints was Shannon Airport in Ireland. Planes coming from continental Europe had to stop over there to fuel up before the big journey over the Atlantic. Then at the end of the 1950s, planes became technically capable of flying non-stop from Paris directly to New York, without a stopover at Shannon Airport.
Several thousand people worked there, so the government in Ireland said, “What do we do? They’re all losing their jobs.”
They came to the idea of creating something that would make incentives for companies to come there, despite the airport no longer being necessary. They basically decided that in Shannon there would be different rules, more favourable to companies: lower taxes, less regulation, no import-export duties, and so on.
That worked.
In the 1960s, there were maybe five zones. Can you imagine how many zones we have today that are called special economic zones?
Timothy Allen:
It would be a shot in the dark. I don’t know. Thirty?
Titus Gebel:
Five thousand. Over 5,000 in around 145 countries.
So this is definitely a successful model. Otherwise it would not have been copied so often.
A special economic zone is not so different from my Free Private City concept, because it says there are some areas where there will be different rules. Mostly there is a private administrative company running the special economic zone.
Most of them are just for businesses, not for residents. Often residents are even forbidden.
But here is the thing. Every single special economic zone in the world is a confession and a commitment.
The confession of the state is: obviously, our rules are not the best, otherwise there would be no need for that zone.
The commitment is: we guarantee that in this zone, you can operate according to these rules. Because if we change those rules, which can happen in some countries, then companies will never come again. They need long-term stability.
Most of these zones have guarantees of 50 years or something like that.
This is a good example of how a model can work that says, “I have different ideas. I propose to you, state, that in a certain defined area, we try out a different set of rules.”
That has already been done. It’s called a special economic zone.
What we do now is extend that autonomy a bit, make it open to residents, and also have our own dispute resolution system.
This is new, but it is not totally new, because you have the Dubai International Financial Centre, which had exactly that problem.
Dubai’s success story was not so easy in the beginning. Eventually they found they had many special economic zones and a lot of manufacturing there, but they wanted to attract the finance world, and the finance companies were not coming.
Why were they not coming? This was back in the 1980s or 1990s. Well, because they didn’t like Sharia law. You could be put in prison if you owed something to somebody.
So the Sheikh asked, “Let’s just import another law that is more popular with finance companies. What is that?”
The advisers told him, “If you look at the big financial hubs like London, New York, Singapore, and Hong Kong, they are all running on common law, actually British common law at the root.”
He said, “Then let’s make a common law system.”
The other thing was, “People do not trust local courts in the Arabian world.” That is just a given, even if it is not justified.
Then he said, “Well, let’s import judges from London.”
That is actually what happened. They came up with their own common law system, which in the meantime was even extended to family law, because high-potential financial managers also do not want to be subject to Sharia law when it comes to marriage or inheritance.
They imported judges from Singapore, London, and other common law countries. They have their own court system.
That is another working example.
The success is tremendous. They started with 10 or 30 companies, and now they have more than 1,000 companies registered in the DIFC, which is a small area of Dubai, about a square mile or less. I think it is responsible for about 10 percent of Dubai’s GDP.
So you can say there is a working example. They have their own regulatory capacities, a different set of rules which is totally different from the rest of Dubai, and their own court system.
What is missing for a Free Private City is a contract with people, and security with its own capacities as well.
Then you come to Honduras, where you have those. Honduras is modelled after Hong Kong, which is officially called a special administrative region. That means it belongs to a country, in this case China, which is responsible for foreign policy and defence, but everything else is handled by the special administrative region. They have their own parliament, their own police, their own flag, their own currency, and their own courts.
Put aside the problems Hong Kong has with China. This is one of the issues that people come up with about Free Private Cities and the host nation, and rightly so, but that is not the topic now.
The model is a system within a system, and that exists. It is called a special administrative region, like Hong Kong or Macau.
Then you have very extended special economic zones like the Dubai International Financial Centre, which is rather a special administrative region than a special economic zone.
And you have new models like the zones in Honduras, where some people say it is a special economic zone. But I would clearly say it is much more, because they basically have a blank sheet in making rules.
Okay, they need approval by a government committee, but once the approval is there, this is a different system. The reason is that the Honduran government wanted to create a Hong Kong-type environment in Honduras. So it is no wonder they are as autonomous in many areas as Hong Kong or Macau are.
That hopefully answers the question about working examples.
Of course, we want to get one step further with a contract-governed service: government as a service. The government is giving you a service contract. You are party to this contract. You are protected by the contract.
Even there, you can point to a working example, which is ZEDE Morazán and ZEDE Próspera. Próspera has an agreement of coexistence with its residents, and they are protected. They have a Bill of Rights in that agreement.
So it is there. This is also very helpful when negotiating with governments.
I remember negotiating with a government in Central America about a year and a half ago. You could see the relief in their faces when I said, “A similar law already exists in Honduras, and there is another one in Azerbaijan that gives a special economic zone large autonomy.”
You could formally see the relief in their faces, because as a politician, coming up with something completely new is a hard sell. If you say it is already there, that helps.
I think this is also very encouraging, because I see a trend starting in the 1960s with Shannon. Special economic zones are becoming not only more and more numerous, but also more and more autonomous from the host nation.
I see a trend here, and this is a strong momentum. There is a reason why not only me, the Free Cities Foundation, and my company Tipolis are here. There are, I would say, two handfuls of players worldwide who really want to make something like this happen. That shows me that the time is right now.
Timothy Allen:
Something just occurred to me. On your stages of autonomy, quite near the end was security.
That does seem like a contentious one, because it is potentially fighting the monopoly on violence that a state might have. I could see that being a very strong hurdle. It’s almost one of the final stages of autonomy.
Titus Gebel:
Yes.
The reason this was put in the Honduran ZEDE law was exactly that. They wanted to avoid the police and prosecution being used for economic purposes.
You have seen this in former Soviet Union countries. They make all kinds of claims against you, like violations of environmental law, unless you give them 10 percent of the company. Then they drop the claim.
I think there was a case with a water monopoly in Roatán, where the water monopolist wanted to stop Próspera providing water to a neighbouring community. So they sent the police in, but they were stopped at the border because, as a ZEDE, they said, “You have no competency here.”
This is a typical example of why this is necessary. In many countries, the police are not used as they should be, to protect people. They are used as a method to get economic purposes enforced against other people.
So you are right, this is difficult, but I think it is also necessary.
What we are doing is negotiating with governments and saying, “This is what we need. We need some internal autonomy, and these are the areas.”
There are compromises possible. For example, if there is a capital crime like murder or rape or a big robbery, then we make a joint commission with your police and investigators.
The other thing that is, at the moment, not easy to overcome is criminal law. Most countries disagree that we have a different criminal law. So the compromise is: we take your criminal law, but we apply it with our institutions.
That is not so difficult, because there are already special economic zones that have private security and all that.
This is limited experience, because it is a new market and a new system. But I have negotiated with, I would say, 10 governments in the last five years. I can say that getting rid of criminal law and replacing it with your own system is basically not doable. But getting your own security and not having the police of the host nation competent for you, that is negotiable.
Timothy Allen:
That’s real-world experience.
This brings me on to the most commonly brought up question whenever I speak to anyone about these jurisdictions, which is, what happens when the government just comes in and says, “We want it”? How do you mitigate that, if at all?
Titus Gebel:
You have to mitigate it. From the beginning, that is the biggest problem. If you are too successful, you have a problem.
On the other hand, this is not new. You have special economic zones that are successful. You have small countries like Monaco that are extremely successful, or Liechtenstein. Why are they not invaded by France, Switzerland, or Austria?
The reason is that it is a trade-off.
Monaco is not invaded by France because they nearly were in the 1960s. Here is a very instructive example.
Monaco has no income tax. In the 1960s, rich French millionaires and businesspeople were all making their money in France and then moving to Monaco. So they didn’t pay taxes on their wealth to France any longer. Monaco had no income tax, and that made the French angry.
They threatened to block Monaco completely. They actually blocked it for a couple of weeks so nobody could go in and out. Monaco is totally surrounded by France. It just has an open border to the sea.
Eventually, this was solved by an agreement.
It is instructive because Monaco also had friends, like in the American government. After all, the prince was married to Grace Kelly, who was a famous American actress. They had friends in governments: Italy, the Vatican, the US.
There is even a movie about it. I think it was true that the American foreign minister said to the French, “Do you want to bomb Monaco?” Of course not, because it is a reputational issue.
That eventually led to the parties coming together at the negotiation table.
A Monégasque diplomat told me that what helped them was that they had really kept up all the protocols and treaties of the past, sometimes going back hundreds and hundreds of years, which they had with the French government. They pointed to those treaties.
Eventually, there was a compromise reached in, I think, 1963. It said that from now on, people moving from France to Monaco have to pay taxes to France. But not anybody else. If you or I move to Monaco, we have no problem unless we have French nationality. People who had moved from France to Monaco before that date were grandfathered in. Their rights remained.
This is still valid today.
So there was a compromise reached. Now Monaco pays for French policemen if they have a big football game or the Grand Prix. They don’t have enough police to cover the event, so they hire French police and pay for it. They pay for infrastructure towards Nice airport and all that.
Monaco has a use for France because it attracts a lot of people who do not just stay in Monaco, but also spend money outside. The three French communities surrounding Monaco are very affluent, all three of them, for a reason.
So there is a clever aspect to it. On the other hand, the painful aspect is mitigated by the contract. The contract says they have to have the same level of tax for VAT, cigarettes, liquor, and petrol. Because otherwise, if you had no petrol tax in Monaco and tax in France, then all the petrol stations near Monaco, within 50 kilometres, would go out of business. That is a typical special economic zone problem, and they mitigated that.
The pain side for the French is covered by this contract, but there is still a bonus side for the French, which is the reputation of Monaco attracting people to the whole Côte d’Azur.
That is the main answer to your question. You have to create a win-win situation, or at least mitigate the pain for the country.
How do we do this, other than with what I just said? First and foremost, treaties. Make it very painful for the country to violate what they have signed.
We are seeing that in real life in Honduras. There was a new government elected that said, “This is all illegal. Yes, we changed the constitution. Yes, we made a ZEDE law, but this is all illegal from day one,” which is obviously not very convincing. They will very probably lose their case.
Governments then will probably kick the can down the road, and the next government will say, “Maybe we should come back to the negotiation table.”
My answer, which I wrote in my book, is that you need several layers of protection.
First and foremost are treaties with investor protection clauses. The company that is running the show should be from a country that has a bilateral investor protection agreement with the host nation. That was the case in Honduras, on purpose, and it works now.
So you make it very painful to violate the treaties they have signed.
The other aspect comes into place after five to ten years. There will be a lot of jobs in this entity, in the Free Private City. A lot of companies from the host nation will do business in the Free Private City. A lot of families will depend on that income, and these are all voters, or they have relatives who are voters.
This is another incentive for the host nation not to destroy it.
The third aspect is that we can announce that our people are highly mobile, high-potential people from all over the world. The majority will probably be from the host nation, but many good people will be from elsewhere. If you invade the city, we will just leave.
It is no longer a successful model. That is what will happen to Hong Kong. If China continues to basically mob Hong Kong and make it a normal Chinese city, then it will be a normal Chinese city and will not have all the advantages Hong Kong had.
This is another thing where we can clearly say it is not in the country’s interest to do that. There will always be political opposition in the country who will say how stupid it is to militarily invade a Free Private City if the city is making payments to the country, and so many people are profiting from it.
I think this is not total security, but it will help. It is interesting to see what the outcome of the Honduran model will be.
Próspera has made a claim of 10 billion dollars against Honduras, which is 50 years of lost profits and what they have invested so far.
My gut feeling is that, at the end of the day, there will be an agreement, maybe not with this government, but with the next one.
Timothy Allen:
Talking to Hondurans about this, a lot of them are of the opinion that originally the pushback on the ZEDEs was a political move at election time. Now they’re in power and things are moving along, it’s chilling out a little bit, which makes total sense to me. Arguably, that’s the way it will play out.
Can I ask a question about Monaco? What is the history of Monaco? How has Monaco ended up being what it is now?
Titus Gebel:
It was originally hijacked. It goes way back in history, to around 1200.
There was a religious conflict, like so many in the past of Europe, between people who were supporters of the Pope and enemies of the Pope.
The Grimaldi family, originally from Genoa in Italy, were supporters of the Pope. The enemies of the Pope were holding the fortress of what is today Monaco.
Under disguise as a monk, one of the Grimaldi knights went in, opened the doors, and then they took over. They have kept ruling that rock since 1291 or so. So, about 700 years.
They came under pressure several times, were invaded and not in power, but they always got back in power after the wars ended.
They were also bigger in the past. The surrounding French communities, including Menton, once belonged to Monaco. It was much bigger than today. Today it is only two square kilometres, the second smallest country in the world. But until 1860, it was much bigger, about 20 times that size.
Then there was a referendum where parts of what had been Italy, or Savoy, were going to France. Most of Monaco’s surrounding areas voted to become part of France.
One of the reasons was that France had no income tax at that time, and Monaco had income tax.
Timothy Allen:
That’s incredible.
Titus Gebel:
Maybe in the long term it was a bad deal.
It took some decades until the Prince of Monaco realised that 90 percent of his income was coming from the casino and other things. He said, “The income tax only accounts for 5 percent. Forget about it.”
From around the 1890s, there was no more income tax in Monaco, and that is still the case today.
The casino is no longer really relevant today. Monaco makes about 50 percent of its income from VAT, and it has to use the high French rate, around 20 percent. Then it has real estate transaction taxes. Given the high valuation of real estate in Monaco, that also accounts for a lot.
They still own the Société des Bains de Mer, the casino and hotels, but to my knowledge it only accounts for 5 to 10 percent of income today. So the casino doesn’t really play a big role any longer. Real estate transactions and VAT do.
Timothy Allen:
Does Monaco hark back to the time of medieval city-states? What was the landscape like?
Titus Gebel:
No, it was a real principality. It wasn’t a city-state.
We could have an extra podcast on medieval city-states, because there is a lot to talk about.
Medieval city-states basically came into existence when cities themselves came into existence in Germany and Italy.
You had some from Roman times, but not many, especially in Central Europe. Then, in the Middle Ages, the city as such became something.
Over the years, people found out, first in old cities like Cologne, which was a city back in Roman times, that they were part of a bishopric. Like all cities, they were ruled by a bishop, who was not only a religious leader but also a factual ruler, a prince, a duke, or whatever.
The Holy Roman Empire of the German Nation consisted of what is today Germany and Italy, and had all kinds of monarchs, hundreds and thousands of different principalities.
In the cities, people found out relatively soon that the monarch didn’t care about them. They were sitting together so densely, it was very creative, and they were successful. They said, “This monarch, be it a bishop or a prince, is sitting in his castle and doesn’t know what is going on here. He is just taking taxes, but he doesn’t care. We need extra rules because the city works differently from the rest of the country. It is much denser. We want to trade with other cities, but we can’t because of duties and all kinds of regulation.”
For example, whether you were allowed to have a certain profession. It was not like today where you just choose your profession. Sometimes you could only inherit what your father did, or whatever the monarch came up with as to who was allowed to do what.
I remember reading that the first attempts in Cologne were around 1100. They said, “We want to get rid of our bishop. We want to be independent and only under the emperor.”
The emperor was far away and had no standing army or standing administration, so it was more formal. They would still be under the empire, but within that empire relatively autonomous.
It took around 100 years for Cologne to eventually get rid of the bishop. They did this by militarily beating him with the support of a neighbouring prince. That is how things went at that time.
That brought them, and other cities in a similar way, the autonomy they were desiring. They could make their own rules and establish a city council.
Other cities followed. It was basically the businesspeople, the honourable people, making all the decisions. Over time, the number of voters increased.
Then you had the extremely successful upper Italian cities. It was a little bit like the ancient Greek polis. You could really see what goes wrong with democracy over time.
In the Italian city-states, it was a powerful family that basically took over, like Genoa, Pisa, or Florence. In Florence it was the Medici family, which was the power family.
The people from Venice said, “We don’t want that. We don’t want one family to rule the show.” So they came up with a very complicated voting system, which made it impossible to buy votes by making promises, because you didn’t know how you were voting. A group of electors was elected, they elected others, who elected others, who eventually named the government.
It was unforeseeable who would be in government. That meant no bribing of votes, no populistic messages to get voted in, no welfare state promises, and things like that.
It was a successful model. Venice was a city that originally started as part of the East Roman, Byzantine Empire, and eventually became factually independent. It lasted for 1,100 years without a single government being overthrown. That is huge.
This city had the biggest naval fleet in the world in the 1600s. With the right system, astonishing things are possible.
Timothy Allen:
What was it about Venice that meant they went down that route? Why weren’t they just a family deciding to take control and run the place?
Titus Gebel:
Because it was not possible under the system they had established.
Timothy Allen:
I’m wondering why they established that system.
Titus Gebel:
Because they looked at the other Italian cities and saw what was happening.
Probably in the beginning they had the same system as the German cities and other Italian cities, where the businesspeople elected a council. Over time, the number of voters grew. Other social groups were entitled to vote. Then powerful networks basically had power in their hands and distributed it among themselves.
At one point in time, they observed what was happening in Genoa, Pisa, and Florence, and said, “We don’t want that.” Then they came up with this complicated system.
You maybe know from movies that they had masks on, so people did not even know who the others were. They said, “We have to guarantee that everybody will eventually become a little bit like Switzerland, that everybody will sooner or later become part of government, but we do not know who in advance.”
Out of the top of my head, it was super complicated. The population of Venice elected 25 election men, or something like that. Those 25 nominated another 25 people, who then nominated others. For you as an individual political or rich person, you could not really influence the process so that you knew who would end up in government.
That worked very successfully, and that is probably the reason why there was always a majority in Venice not to change the system. They saw what happened in other places, and they saw how successful they were themselves.
Timothy Allen:
Two questions then. First, how long was the transition into that system from the other one? And my second question is, what finally caused the end of it?
Titus Gebel:
To the first question, I don’t know frankly. I assume when they started around the year 690, they were probably just a tribe, people fleeing the downfall of the Western Roman Empire onto the lagoon because it could be defended more easily.
Probably there was just a leader, an elected chief or whatever. It took several hundred years until they really developed into what they later successfully became.
If I remember correctly, I have read that they wanted not to make the same mistake as the other Italian cities. That must have happened around 1400 or 1500.
Venice came to an end in 1797 when Napoleon invaded the city.
That is a good question, what brought it to an end. After Napoleon was gone in 1815, you could have expected that maybe they would rise again. But no.
The people were probably a little bit like the West today: too long too successful, too wealthy.
You know the saying that hard times create strong people, strong people create good times, good times create weak people, and weak people create bad times. I think that is what happened in Venice.
Despite being so successful for such a long period of time, they did not have enough energy and power to re-establish Venice as an independent entity when Napoleon was gone. First they became part of the Austro-Hungarian Empire, and then eventually Italy.
It is only now that people want to make this autonomous again. There is a movement in Venetia to make it at least a more independent region within Italy.
Also, we are now sitting here in Montenegro, and not far from here is Dubrovnik, which was called Ragusa. It was known as the little sister of Venice. They copied Venice. On a much smaller scale, they were very successful.
Their motto was, “We are not giving away our freedom for all the gold in the world.” They had a really strong self-determination and liberty focus, and they kept it up until they also were militarily beaten.
People think a city is so small and defenceless. No, not at all. Few people know that Singapore has submarines and more tanks than the German army. It is just not true.
With economic power comes military power, and especially the awareness that people have that they do not want to spend their own people’s lives in wars. They always hired soldiers of fortune.
Timothy Allen:
That’s interesting. You’re alluding to the cyclical nature of top-down, bottom-up governance, or freedom and authoritarianism.
Is it an eternal struggle? Is this something that never gets fixed?
Titus Gebel:
Becoming decadent if you are successful over generations is probably not stoppable.
But what we can do, and that is my idea, is to establish not only one Venice, but hundreds. Then, if some of them fail, the model will still survive.
Timothy Allen:
Let’s talk about that then.
In your mind’s eye, what I find impressive about what you’re doing, and I was acknowledging this last night when we were talking, is that you’re thinking long-term in the future.
A lot of what you’re doing now is, “We need to do this now.” And I’m like, “Why?” And you say, “Because in nine years’ time there’s going to be an election here.”
That, for me, is an unusual way of thinking. I’m fascinated by the mind of someone who is thinking that far into the future.
When you go to this place in the future where you find a myriad of city-states or independent jurisdictions, describe that landscape for me. What does it look like? What’s the best outcome you see, and what’s the timeline?
Titus Gebel:
Timeline is a difficult question. My experience in life is that it always takes longer and is more difficult than you think, and it is probably the same here.
Nevertheless, I was surprised that we could start so early in Honduras, but that was because the Honduran government enabled it. They wanted to create Hong Kongs, not private cities.
Then the people running the show at Próspera stumbled upon me and said, “Can we make Próspera a little bit more Free Private City-like?” It was a top-down Hong Kong approach, where a governor called technical secretary was making all the decisions. We did it. Próspera is now a charter-slash-contractual city, I suppose.
What is the ideal world in the future? Let me describe it this way.
If you were a young person born in a Free Private City, you would be under the contract of your parents. When you are 18, which would probably be the age that defines you as an adult, although it could be any other age, the city would give you a year to decide if you also want to become a contractual party on your own.
You could travel the world, look at other places, and probably what happens is you say, “Well, there is a more humanitarian basic income society, with a lot of young girls and free love, at least that’s what people say.”
As a young person, you might move into that for a time, being more idealistic and seeing a lot of artists, music, and culture.
Then, after some years, you probably want to start a family and become more economically successful. You move back to a Free Private City and say, “I have everything here. I can start a business within five minutes. I can put my money outside and it will not be taxed away. They will not change the rules, so I can plan for my pension. I can start a family here knowing that I can send my children out at midnight without fear.”
So that is probably a good place for me in my 30s, 40s, and 50s.
Then maybe, when you are getting old, you say, “My father and my mother are from Denmark, and I want to experience all the original tradition of my Danish culture.” Maybe you move to a more Alabama-type society, where it is a little bit calmer, not so much hustle and business like in a Free Private City. More of a resort-type environment.
If you have a cultural or ethnic background from some area, maybe you want to go back to that.
We don’t know if this will still be the case in 300 years, but I think you can live a portfolio life if you want. Or you can stay in one city, where maybe you have areas in the city catering to those needs.
I think it is very fascinating. A good model for young people is what I have heard about the Amish people in the US. This is an intentional religious community. They say to the young people, “Now you should learn about the outside world and travel around for two years. Then you decide if you want to come back to us or go somewhere else.”
I heard they lose about 50 percent, but it’s a good model.
This is my vision of the future, that all kinds of ideas will compete.
What I have offered in my book, my concept, and my white paper is the Free Private City. This is just a start. You go from there in all kinds of directions.
Joe Quirk, president of the Seasteading Institute, rightly said that in 50 years’ time, the most successful societies will probably not be something that is in discussion today. There is no ideology existing yet that would describe them.
Maybe this is the case. I think the learning curve will be much steeper. It took 70 years to find out that the Soviet Union does not work. But if you have hundreds of competing societies, you will find out much quicker and you can copy much quicker what is working and what is not working.
People would expect that from you. They would point their finger to the neighbours and say, “They do it like this, they pay less, they have a better quality of administration, so why don’t we do that?”
Maybe the majority of people will want to remain in their nation states. But even there, they would say, “These Free Private City guys have a contract with the operator. We want a contract too from our government.”
These are the effects that I see coming.
Of course, it depends on us being successful. That is why I am so keen to start now, even if only the next generation will really see this world unfolding.
Timothy Allen:
One of the very important components of that model is the ability to travel.
We’ve all seen an incredibly dangerous precedent set over the pandemic, for example. What is your general feeling about that? Even if your individual private cities are welcoming to you, if you can’t fly over someone’s state, you can’t get there.
Titus Gebel:
That is why I advise and recommend that Free Private Cities have access to the open sea, which has always been, for thousands of years, the door to the world.
Even Monaco has a small space going to the high seas, which is not under the sovereignty of France. It was not necessary to use that in the last 50 years, but if you have to, you are happy that you have a way out.
Another method of dealing with that problem, whether it is a pandemic or whatever they come up with, like climate as a reason why you are no longer allowed to fly, is that Free Private Cities and similar models associate with each other in some areas.
One area would be travel and mutual visiting, a kind of new Hanseatic League. That is one of the ideas already in discussion.
Timothy Allen:
You’d better define that. What is the Hanseatic League? Give me a 101.
Titus Gebel:
The Hanseatic League was a kind of predecessor of Free Private Cities.
These cities were still part of empires, mostly the Holy Roman Empire, but also Denmark, Norway, even England or Russia.
These cities allied together in what was later known as the Hanseatic League. The main purpose in the beginning was that businesspeople could travel freely from one city to another and be protected by the same rules.
They were so successful that they had their own warehouses even in London, which were under the Hanseatic League regime. They were strangely not a sovereign entity, not a decentralised nation, but on the other hand they could even wage war against one of the main powers of that time, Denmark.
So it was a kind of association of free cities.
Interestingly, there was a main city, Lübeck. Lübeck was important, and they were copying Lübeck rules. But it was completely voluntary. There was no telling other cities what to do. Cities could decide if they wanted to join the Hanseatic League, and they could decide if they took over Lübeck or Magdeburg law, or created their own law.
They only had to respect that if people from other Hanseatic cities were coming, they were treated well and had legal protection.
It was an association. In the future, where I think cities will become more important than nation states, we will probably see a revival of something like the Hanseatic League.
Timothy Allen:
Personally, I live on a former farm, right in the middle of nowhere. How do I fit into the Free Private Cities model?
It seems quite city-centric. I’ll be honest, I’m probably not ever going to want to live in a city again. I lived in London for seven years, but I’m over that. Are we talking about jurisdictions as well? Are there going to be places that are not cities?
Titus Gebel:
I think it is absolutely not necessary to be in a city. At the end, it is a jurisdiction.
Few people know that everybody talks about the free and imperial cities in the Holy Roman Empire, but there were also free imperial villages. These were really villages directly under the emperor, with no prince, no ruler, no monarch.
This is possible, and I don’t see any reason why this should not be the case.
The city is just practical. You can more easily set up administration, hospitals, and things, so that you can really be on your own. Whereas with a village, you are very often dependent on infrastructure in the surrounding area, which, if it has a different jurisdiction, they will probably capitalise on.
Like they do with Indian reservations. On paper they are sovereign nations, but they say, “Okay, if you want money from the federal government, you follow all rules.” That is a problem with villages and farms being independent jurisdictions.
Timothy Allen:
Security would be the thing. What’s easy in a city is to put a wall around it. How would that be dealt with in a situation with a much larger border?
Titus Gebel:
In today’s world, one of the things that will come to us if we have a different tax and customs system is that the host nation will ask you for a wall or fence, to avoid smuggling. I see this day coming.
For security reasons, I would make it dependent on the environment where you are. If you have a Free City in Switzerland, it is probably not necessary to build a wall.
But what you can do today is have drones or cheap cameras all around, or thermal cameras that detect temperature. Then you only need two or three people surveying and patrolling. You can have relatively cheap security for large areas.
Timothy Allen:
Can I ask you some more personal questions about you specifically? Purely out of my own interest. Have you got a family?
Titus Gebel:
Yes. I have two sons.
Timothy Allen:
What are they into? Are they into this idea?
Titus Gebel:
They are 29 and 19, and they are on board.
Timothy Allen:
Are they working in that kind of arena?
Titus Gebel:
Not yet. My older son has a security company in Germany, and I can imagine he can deploy that knowledge in Free Cities once we have them.
My younger son is still studying. He is in the UK at the moment, but he is running around in Free Private Cities T-shirts, so I assume he is also on board.
Timothy Allen:
What about your actual motivation? You did all right. You made a few companies. So what’s motivating you?
Titus Gebel:
When I sold my shares in the resources company that I founded, which enabled me to move to Monaco, I was asked why I do this. I could play golf for the rest of my life or whatever.
I said, no. In a way, I am a political person and always was. I think we have a kind of role to fulfil.
Of course, I could start another company, and I am still somehow connected with the resource industry. But I think if you have identified something that is wrong and you have a solution, it is your obligation to tell your fellow citizens, “Here is another proposal.”
In my case, it was 30 years of observing the political field. At one point, I was friends with federal ministers of my classical liberal party in Germany. I watched that and said, “This system is not going to end well. It is not working. It is not reformable. Eventually it will collapse.”
Then I thought, then they will ask for Napoleon again, a strong man. Then you have dictatorship. Then eventually it will be overthrown, reasonable people will come in, and then the good people will come into power and want to redistribute everything. Then it will collapse again.
I said, okay, maybe we should do something.
Since I became more and more libertarian over the years, and I’m 55 now, I’ve served some time on the political fronts.
I thought, “We know the market is the best mechanism to distribute everything so that the needs of people are served. And ethically it is the best system, because it relies on voluntary decisions. Why don’t we transfer that system to the system of living together?”
Then I said, “Yes, that’s it.” Now I had to work it out.
It took me three years to write the book. I interviewed a lot of people and read a lot. The book was published in 2018, and I think the main messages will remain unchanged.
It is a good starting point. I don’t know what the future will bring, but this is my contribution to the development of society.
That is probably what I am good at: observing and formulating things. There are better businesspeople than me, who are 100 percent into their business. I am always interested in everything. You have to find what you are good at and deploy it.
For me, it gives me a lot of satisfaction.
When I started as a lawyer, I was asking myself, “What am I doing here?” I was working for people who came to a lawyer with things I would never go to a lawyer with. They were just not relevant. I was producing papers, then there was a court decision, and then it was thrown away. It was not really satisfactory.
Producing gold and oil was much better, because it is real. It is something tangible. That was more satisfying.
What I have done now gives me the satisfaction that if I die tomorrow, I have at least done something that others can profit from. That is a really good feeling.
I am good at that. I was always thinking in a very long-term way. I know a lot of people, especially in the libertarian sector, say, “It is only about your lifetime, and our kids don’t matter.” That is nothing for me.
I think we are all coming from somewhere and going somewhere. It is part of our humankind that we take care of the past and future generations, and think, “Is there maybe something we can do to improve what future generations will do?”
That is satisfying for me as a person. It is my subjective feeling.
Timothy Allen:
Do you think the Free Private Cities idea, the Free Cities idea, is of its time now?
What I mean is, as a result of the internet giving people ideas, libertarianism has a bad reputation for never really gaining traction, but you could easily argue we’ve only just entered the free market of ideas in the last 25 years.
Prior to that, libertarian ideas were spread by word of mouth, books, or whatever. Now we have this explosion of ideas. We were talking last night about Brazil, for example, and the massive libertarian population in Brazil.
Why is that? Because they heard about it.
Titus Gebel:
Yes. It is a natural development.
This all started around 1800, with the Industrial Revolution, Adam Smith, and the idea, “Why are people not just allowed to make contracts with each other?” That was totally unusual for thousands of years.
It doesn’t fit with our herd mentality. This is still a problem, and that is why libertarians have such a bad reputation. It is not what people are used to.
But more and more people are coming from this.
Or let’s put it another way. Our legacy systems are coming from the past.
Who was ruling in the Stone Age? It was probably the strongest warrior, who was the head of the tribe or chief. Then he added somebody to make it all make sense, and that was the priest. These two were running the show forever.
Eventually, people said, “We also want to have a say.” Then the princes elected the king. Then a bigger group elected the president. Now we have democracy, but we are still electing a king.
This is not happening in the rest of our lives. We decide for ourselves if we want sparkling or still water, if we want to make a holiday in Thailand or Mexico. That is our decision. We don’t need a decision-maker for us.
More and more people say, “You are now deciding I am not allowed to travel, I have to be vaccinated. I don’t want you to make this decision for me.”
Even if we are politically a tiny minority, I think our points are so strong that they will automatically pop up. Even if you consider yourself left-wing, you probably don’t want other people to decide for you.
If so, make a left-wing Free City. You don’t even have to call it a Free Private City. Make it a cooperative that owns the operating company. Not a problem, as long as it sticks to the contract. Otherwise, people will leave.
So I think the time has come, because it is obvious.
It is not that Titus Gebel has made a top-down idea of what is best for all. I have just transferred something you already know, a service contract, to the area called the market of living together.
It is actually just a transfer idea. It is not totally new. That gives me the conviction that this is doable, because it has been done in other areas of life. You make a service contract. If the service contract is not fulfilled, you sue that party, keep your money back, or there is a trial. We all know this.
Now I say government is just a service like any other. There are a lot of people who deny that, but I think they have no point.
Timothy Allen:
I’ve been having a lot of interesting conversations recently about the notion of online communities manifesting in real life, and this being a strong driver towards these kinds of communities. What’s your opinion on that?
Titus Gebel:
The internet definitely helps to find like-minded people all over the world.
After all, what is a Free Private City? It is based on the same ideas and values rather than on ethnic, religious, or other bases.
The whole world is open to it. You say, “Do you like those ideas? Then you are our guy. Please come.”
Internet communities can more easily prepare to make Free Private Cities happen in reality. One of the problems is that if you start from zero, and we have to, because we do not want to force people into that system, then you have an empty city. You need people coming there.
That is one of the big bottlenecks.
You can see it here in Luštica Bay. We are sitting in an extremely beautiful private development, a gated community. In the summertime there are a lot of people there, but outside that, not so many.
How do you make this a real city? It is not enough to have nice real estate. You need common values. That is where this comes into play.
Timothy Allen:
That’s interesting. I’ve never thought of it like that.
I don’t have a great fondness for places like this, funnily enough, for that exact reason. You’re finding that a lot in the centre of large cities now, which are just real estate bubbles with no soul.
Titus Gebel:
Exactly.
Timothy Allen:
So your antidote would be to found the city on an ideological commonality.
We’ve just come from Montelibero, which is not a Free Private City concept, but it is a community one. That was phenomenal. It was such an exciting experience being in a group of people who were all there with the non-aggression principle as one of their core tenets. They are all pretty much libertarians, and they are doing that.
You do see that is what is going to keep it together. That is the glue that is going to stick the community together in the end.
I’ve never thought of it that way before. That’s a good way of thinking about it.
So how do you stop terribly horrible ideological cities arising? Do they just get competed out of business?
Titus Gebel:
I can’t stop them.
If you are a voluntarist saying people should voluntarily associate under whatever ideas they want, then so be it.
The only thing is that I would say people should have the right to leave. But I am not going to bomb or invade those cities, as I am not going to bomb North Korea, Iran, or other fundamentalist, religious, or communist regimes.
I think we have to live with that. People have the right to make mistakes. They have the right to try out things.
At the end, Timothy, if we by force prevent a crazy-idea city from becoming reality, then people will at some point make it anyway. Maybe the next generation or whenever.
Someone once said every idea that is around us will sooner or later be tested. I think this is probably true.
The good thing about the Free Private City idea is that it is limited to certain areas. Ideally, there will be hundreds or thousands of Free Private Cities. If you have two or three dropouts, that is limited damage.
If you have a wrong system like the Soviet Union for the biggest country in the world, that has a huge impact. But if it is only a 10-square-kilometre city doing crazy things with volunteers, the damage is limited to the rest of the world and to the people themselves.
Timothy Allen:
So an essential part of the model is small scale?
Titus Gebel:
Yes. The problem is that if it gets too big, then it is probably no longer steerable.
A very interesting observation is that there are basically only 10 companies in the world that have a million people, and only one that has two million, which is Walmart.
This is not a planned development. Obviously, there is a certain size beyond which, even if you are a monopolist, it does not really work, because a lot of things are lost in the hierarchy and administration, and smaller players are more successful.
That will be found out over time. We have cities of 10 million people, and you can just separate them into different quarters and then manage them.
Timothy Allen:
What do you see as the future of the current states, the people in charge currently? Does that eventually devolve to nothing, or is it always going to be there to implement certain law?
Titus Gebel:
I think they have to become more service-oriented. Otherwise they will not survive.
That is exactly what, interestingly, the monarch of Liechtenstein, Prince Hans-Adam II, said. The state of the future has to become a service provider, not a demigod, or it will disappear.
That is exactly my view.
If we come with service-oriented models, and people are treated as customers and not as subjects, and we have more privacy and more freedom, then automatically people will come to us.
The state can build walls or punish people or make war against us, but this will only delay the process. It will not stop it.
Eventually, states will get pressure to become more customer-friendly than they are today, which is a good result.
Timothy Allen:
Of course.
I had a couple of interesting conversations in Lisbon about frontiers and the fact that we lack new frontiers now. The two possible ones being the sea and space.
Have you thought about space?
Titus Gebel:
Definitely. I think this is what is going to happen.
If people say, “I am so bored and I need to cater to a religion or anything because there is no sense in life,” I say, “You can work on better systems of living together. You can try to settle on the sea. We probably have so many planets now that it seems proven there are planets there, and statistically there will be livable planets. Now we have to find a way to get there and try new things.”
The whole universe is still open, like it was 500 years ago when people went over the oceans not knowing what was on the other side.
Now this is again the situation, maybe a little bit more problematic because the distances are so large. But I think this is the future of mankind, that it will settle the universe. I don’t know when this is going to happen, but for me there are new frontiers, many of them, out there.
Timothy Allen:
Do we see an evolution, though? Or do we just see state people leaving to find new frontiers, creating free societies, getting conquered, people leaving, creating another?
Historically, do we ever see the process of devolution happening and then new frontiers appearing?
Titus Gebel:
Venice is a good example. But it was conquered in the end.
Timothy Allen:
After a thousand years. I would take that deal.
Titus Gebel:
Yes.
When the Western Roman Empire was dissolving, that was basically the starting point for these cities and the Renaissance. There were dark times in between, but when it started back around 690, Venice was directly coming after that.
Now we have a big advantage compared to those times. I think what we are currently seeing is that Western civilisation is in crisis. It is going down. If I look at the skills people have compared with 100 or 50 years ago, you can have some doubts that this will continue.
So I think it is also necessary that new models pop up that can keep up that high standard of civilisation. These will be Free Cities, in my view, because they only need a certain amount of land and several thousand people. That is enough.
It is much easier than steering a 20-million-person country in a new direction.
I think this is something that is maybe accelerated through the downfall of Western society at the moment, and at the same time it is showing a way out of the crisis and the problems we have.
Again, it happened before when the Roman Empire went down, and what came out of it was basically the modern world. There is always a new beginning.
Timothy Allen:
A lot of people, when they talk about that, predict a chaotic crash of Western civilisation. I’m not sure I can see it transpiring like that.
I think, as individuals, we normally solve problems faster than those kinds of outcomes arise. That’s my opinion. What do you think?
Titus Gebel:
We have a much different situation from when the Roman Empire was going down, because it was basically the only country in this part of the world. People had heard about India and China, but they didn’t even know how to get there.
The others were the barbarians. There was the Persian Empire, which was the only adjacent bigger civilised nation. When the Roman Empire went down, there was nothing.
But now you have so many Western and industrialised countries. They are not all going down at the same time. Then you have the internet, and we are all connected to each other.
There are people like me who say, “Here’s a new idea, we are working on that, let’s start something.”
We have a big advantage compared to Roman times. We have many more political entities, which also create arbitrage options, and we are much better connected. We can learn more quickly and associate more quickly to form new entities.
So I think it would probably not be the big crash, but rather a long decay. During that decay period, more and more people will drop out and come to the new systems.
Timothy Allen:
The smoothest transition would be a slow draining of power from the old system.
Titus Gebel:
I think that is also the most realistic.
It is a good thing that we have more than 190 states. If we only had one world government, I would say that would be a disaster.
Timothy Allen:
Do you know much about what happened around the fall of the Roman Empire?
Titus Gebel:
Yes, I have read a lot of books about it. Still, Gibbon’s book from the 1700s by the English author Edward Gibbon is, I would say, the standard book for the downfall of the Roman Empire.
Timothy Allen:
Can you describe it?
Titus Gebel:
He was basically investigating what happened in the last hundred years.
You could really see a mechanism. Rome started as a successful empire, where it was a republic. Only the people who were paying taxes and willing to defend the country were voting.
Then it deteriorated into dictatorship, the big kings. People no longer wanted to do military service, so they hired others, like Germanic tribes, to do soldier work.
Then the emperors didn’t realise what Austrian economics has realised, that the more intervention they make, the more problems they create. Then they try to fix those problems, which creates a spiral.
At the end, you were not even allowed to leave the place where you were living. There were draconian punishments if you didn’t pay your taxes. There was really bread and circuses to keep the people happy.
It was all there, what we have today. It has been done before, it didn’t work, and it will not work this time.
It is a very interesting book. It is also a bit critical about Christianity, because when Christianity started, the first 400 years it was just a sect praying for the end of the world. They had zero incentive to improve their wellbeing now, because they were always waiting for the world to come to an end.
Gibbon says that because so many people were following this, and other crazy religions, this played a role. People at the end of the Roman Empire were letting themselves be buried and bathing in blood for 10 minutes. That was one of the cults at that time.
People, like today, were totally nihilistic, not knowing what to think or believe.
If you study the downfall of the Roman Empire, you can see a lot of parallels to today’s world.
Timothy Allen:
Why is that? Are we talking about the natural lifecycle of an empire? Why don’t good times create good people?
Titus Gebel:
I think it has to do with the state. That explains 80 percent, but not everything.
Even if you have a perfect system and everybody is wealthy, then people get crazy ideas.
But the other cycle that is inevitable is the political cycle.
Let’s start after a crisis. Reasonable people are elected into power. They have to fix things, and they come up with freedom of contract, rule of law, and all those things. Eventually society recovers.
Then the “good people,” in an ironic way, are voted into power and say, “Let’s distribute money to the people, to the needy, which means us and our cronies, and of course some real needy people.”
The problem is that the state has a monopoly of force. That means over time, more and more groups in society find out that they can go to the state and steal from others, because this is the easiest way to increase your standard of living.
Most of us, luckily, don’t do that. You don’t just grab into the neighbour’s pockets or go into a shop and take something without paying. Most of us feel bad about that, and that’s a good thing.
But there is an institution that can do that without punishment, which is the state.
More and more groups find that out. They turn to the state to steal from others and give it to them. They call it something else, but that is the problem.
If you have an entity that can do that, and they say it is taxes or social security fees or whatever, then over time you have more and more people leaving the productive sector and going into the redistribution sector.
Today we have all these NGOs which are state-tax-financed. Then you have people working in the education sector and all kinds of non-productive sectors. The number of people really creating wealth gets smaller and smaller.
Eventually, the state runs out of money. What does the state do then? It prints money, takes on debt, increases taxes. Increasing taxes works up to a certain degree. We know the Laffer curve. Then printing money is the easiest way. Buying your own bonds is like printing money.
That is what we see today. The state has reached a welfare level that is not financeable any longer. They are doing all kinds of tricks to delay the final outcome, which is insolvency.
Then you have big reforms, and then it starts anew.
I was thinking, this is the cycle. What the hell can we do to avoid that?
My solution is the bilateral contract. If you have a contract with the city operator, then there is no forum for people to say, “We want some of the income distributed to us or our friends,” because everybody knows they cannot influence the contract that you and I have.
They cannot interfere with that contract because they have their own contract.
This is my solution to that problem. The problem is really that if there is a player like the state that can take something away from others and redistribute it, then eventually everybody will jump on that.
So you have to take away the right of the state to take from others and redistribute.
What do we do? We say the maximum you have to pay as an annual fee is this and that, and we cannot change the contract unilaterally.
That is basically keeping away these wrong incentives that every legislative body has. Every legislative body makes new legislation, and then all kinds of people will come and say, “You have to take care of this and that, and we need more taxes and more money, because otherwise the world will come to an end.”
It is inevitable that if you have a legislative body, over time the number of laws will increase, the taxes will increase, the debt will increase, and the number of people who are not productive will increase.
It is, in my view, absolutely inevitable. So you have to change the system, and I have made a proposal for how to do that.
Timothy Allen:
When you’re talking about the fall of the Roman Empire, you mentioned that they even restricted the movement of people.
We see that now, even with 15-minute cities, where they are using the environment as a reason. Why did they do it in Roman times? Was that just the state being so worried and scared?
Titus Gebel:
Desperation.
People were just moving away to the barbarians, because they said, “Okay, there is no rule of law there, but it is kind of okay, and there are no taxes and more freedom.”
They didn’t want to lose taxpayers. That was the main reason. It was desperation.
What we are seeing now, Timothy, is also a kind of desperation. I think there is a new class of people who are behaving more and more feudalistically. They see that they are losing, and now they are becoming totalitarian.
They are trying to censor the internet now. This is clear. This is no different from what has happened in the past. It is just a different group of people, and maybe a bigger group, and they have more power because they have all the media.
But if you forbid people to travel, that is not so different from the end phase of the Roman Empire.
Timothy Allen:
At the end phase of the Roman Empire, was it a catastrophe? Were people starving because services weren’t working?
Titus Gebel:
There are some establishment historians who claim this was not the case, that it was a smooth transition. But that’s a lie.
It is an obvious lie, because people compare it to what we have today.
You can show from the city of Rome that it went down from hundreds of thousands of citizens to around 20,000. They could show that the quality of materials, plates, knives, and everything, went down tremendously.
These dark ages after the fall of the Roman Empire are not a myth. They really existed.
From historical and archaeological sources, you can find out what happened to big cities, even in Central Europe and Germany, like Trier and Cologne. There was a real downfall. People left cities. They starved to death. The sheer number of people decreased. That means people died because they couldn’t find enough to eat, and their children were not surviving.
You can really see that this was traumatic. It was probably not happening overnight, but it was real.
You were still living in the city of Rome, but between the walls of the former fantastic buildings and statues, there were cattle grazing. That was the situation in Rome after the downfall.
Timothy Allen:
Did anyone write about what turned out to be the best strategy to avoid it, or mitigate it?
Titus Gebel:
What happened was the so-called villas, which were more or less farms with a wall around them, where a self-subsistence economy was happening.
The more wealthy people did that. Actually, what you are already doing was the favourite way out for the more affluent Romans at that time.
Timothy Allen:
I don’t have a wall around mine, unfortunately.
Titus Gebel:
You probably don’t need it yet.
Timothy Allen:
What about now then? According to you, what’s the best strategy going forward?
Titus Gebel:
Today you have more options. You are much more mobile than in the past.
You can use what people call flag theory. You can use several countries as your residency and jump from one to another.
But this is only a temporary solution. The problem with the states we have today is that they can change the rules overnight. You don’t know. If you are happy now, the next government can be a nightmare.
That is why I want to create these safe havens with Free Private Cities, where you know these are the rules, and they are not going to be changed. Full stop. Period.
That is what we are creating at the moment.
We are in a phase, as you see in Honduras, where it is still struggling and the new government is hostile. We are in the early phase of the 1960s special economic zones. That is where we are today with Free Cities.
My recommendation is to look at smaller countries. Not everybody can afford Monaco, of course, but there are others: Gibraltar, Liechtenstein, Montenegro, the Channel Islands.
There are a lot of opportunities, which were also there in the Roman Empire, but first, nobody knew about them, and second, they couldn’t travel there.
This is different today. There are more than 190 states, and within those states there are a lot of autonomous regions. So you have probably 300 places to choose from.
I guarantee you there are some which are working and will work in the next 50 years, and others not.
So you can either jump from one to another, or you can help me create Free Cities, settle there, stay there, keep them upright, and defend them for us and our children.
Timothy Allen:
Talking of creating Free Cities, are there any projects that you can talk about that are lesser known or new ones?
Titus Gebel:
If you look at the directory of the Free Cities Foundation, there are some. Sark is certainly an interesting development, the Channel Island.
We did a project for two years which eventually failed, which is why you have not heard about the Tipolis project in Africa. We got a law passed by parliament. We got a 40-page contract negotiated with the state’s investment agency. Then there was a change in government, and it turned out the new leader was not in favour.
Timothy Allen:
Where exactly was this?
Titus Gebel:
São Tomé and Príncipe.
This project failed, and that can happen again.
I am not talking about current projects because I don’t want to endanger them. But I know there will be projects upcoming in the next three to five years, or several.
Our new strategy at Tipolis is that we are reaching out to several governments at the same time, so that we can mitigate this political risk a bit.
We want to create something we call an International City by Tipolis. It is mostly after the Free Private City model, then dependent on the local situation and what the host nation wants. We can adapt the structure a bit.
The idea is that if you are a resident of an International City, you can easily move to another International City. This is again the Hanseatic League approach, where you have additional advantages from being a resident of one of those.
I know from other groups that are also working on similar models. I would say Africa is a hotspot, and Central America. Bitcoin City is also something that could move in that direction in El Salvador, with a very innovative government there.
Then you have a few projects in Central Asia. You could expect something in the Pacific also happening, but I’m not aware of any current project there.
Europe rather not, because of the European Union, which does not even allow for special economic zones, or countries that want to become members of the European Union. So it is very hard to get something done here.
Timothy Allen:
Europe’s off the table?
Titus Gebel:
For the moment, yes.
But if we have some International Cities up and running somewhere else, and they are successful, then I think we can knock on the doors of some European countries and say, “Have a look. Do you want the same?”
We do not know how long the European Union will last. Eventually it will collapse. I don’t know when, but in my view it is inevitable, and then this will be open.
You saw when the UK went out with Brexit, they immediately said, “We want to establish 10 special economic zones.” Unfortunately, they are rather traditional ones. They have no legal innovation in them. But next time another country could say, “We are open to International Cities.”
Timothy Allen:
What’s your view on the result of Brexit? How do you view that in total? Net positive?
Titus Gebel:
Definitely. It is typical that you have some disadvantages in the short term, but mid- and long-term, it is leaving the empire before it goes down.
Okay, it costs. But I think it is a good thing, and other countries will probably follow.
Timothy Allen:
In respect to Free Cities, is the UK in its current state applicable?
Titus Gebel:
I had hoped that we could convince the government to make one of those designated special economic zones a little bit more autonomous, but we were not successful.
Timothy Allen:
Enough said.
Titus Gebel, thanks. We’ve been talking for a while now. I think everyone needs a break.
One last question, which is a funny question because I know exactly what you’re going to say. It’s what I ask everyone on this podcast. I’ll have to change the rules slightly for you.
It’s a hypothetical question. If you took a sabbatical from what you’re doing now, or if you just took a sabbatical with an unlimited budget, what would you do during that year? A one-year sabbatical, and you’ve got a patron saying, “Here’s a blank cheque.”
Titus Gebel:
Am I not allowed to invest that money in Free Cities?
Timothy Allen:
No, you can do whatever you want. But it’s a year project, so at the end of that year, the money disappears.
Titus Gebel:
Okay. I would use that money as collateral to negotiate with governments.
So I have 10 billion in my back, and we are starting a new Free City here. I would get done as much as I can before the year is over, because having the money alone in the bank is a very strong argument when negotiating with governments.
I would definitely use that.
Timothy Allen:
Is that the Achilles heel of the movement currently? If you have someone like Elon Musk behind you, it’s far easier to implement?
Titus Gebel:
Yes, definitely. One hundred percent.
Timothy Allen:
We’re going to have to start getting billionaires interested in this.
Titus Gebel:
I tried this. I put a letter in my book, a letter to billionaires. But it turned out that most billionaires just want to create their own cities.
I would say 90 percent of them only later find out that without legal autonomy, all of their super ideas cannot be made reality.
Timothy Allen:
What do you think about Elon Musk? He’s morphing into a bit of a libertarian, isn’t he?
Titus Gebel:
In principle, he is heading in the right direction, at least in many ways.
He is defending free speech against all this censorship-industrial complex, which says, “We have to protect people against misinformation.”
The point is that when you go back to Covid, most of the misinformation came from mainstream media and state authorities.
Maybe Elon is turning it around. I admire that he is really holding his ground, because most of the billionaires I know give in if public opinion is against them.
That doesn’t mean I think Tesla is not overvalued, but I think Elon is somebody who is walking the talk, and I admire that.
Peter Thiel once said, “Don’t bet against Elon.” Probably he knows him, so he probably has a reason to say that.
I think it is good that he is there.
Timothy Allen:
Arguably, he would be one of the most important proponents of the Free Cities model, because he’s probably going to be the first guy to get to Mars.
Mars is a new frontier. What are you going to do? You need a governance system.
Titus Gebel:
Yes. He has already said that if he is going to Mars, this is not a government affair. The governments have no place there.
Of course they wanted the established United Nations rules and the US or whoever. He said no, that’s a new thing.
I don’t know if he has ever heard about Free Cities and things like that, but my hope is that eventually our ideas and my ideas will come through, because they are consistent and plausible.
Timothy Allen:
It’s amazing.
I know the UN has a space treaty already, like Antarctica, where no one can actually make a claim to a place. But who’s going to stop you when you’re a year and a half travel away?
Titus Gebel:
We had this treaty before, the Treaty of Tordesillas, where Portugal and Spain were just distributing the earth in two parts.
At the end, the English, French, and Dutch just took their parts, which was also against the treaty.
It is the same with the UN claiming all space and saying nobody can make claims there.
Timothy Allen:
It’s so exciting. Unfortunately, I have a feeling we won’t be there to see it.
But we’ve never lived through a time where there were New Frontiers ourselves, where you could literally flee to a place and start your own colony or start your own idea. The next generation may be in that position. It would be phenomenal.
Titus Gebel:
It is.
If you are interested in those things, then you wake up at night and say, “Our society is falling apart.” In my case, 3,000 years of Germany coming to an end makes me sad.
On the other hand, this is a little bit comparable to what some people probably felt when the Roman Empire was coming down.
Our task now, for us and the next generations, is to find a solution to that problem. What do we do?
I think we have found it. Now we have to work on it, even if we do not see it ourselves.
There will be some Free Cities around, and maybe they will fail again, like in Honduras if there is a hostile government, or if all the big countries ally against Free Cities. That can happen.
But the idea will not go away ever, and that is a good thing.
We have showcases. The good thing about 190-plus countries is that they are all competing against each other. They will never all ally against Free Cities. That is our chance.
Our task now is to create a new world.
I was an active witness of the downfall of the Eastern Bloc in 1990. We thought that was it with communism and socialism, and some predicted the end of history, as you know. Well, it was not right.
We are now in a situation where the civilisation that we know is coming into a situation we have never seen before. Something is wrong with it. We can all feel that.
Now it is our task to work on a new thing, and it will eventually be a better thing.
It is always like that. If we are in a good environment, in good times, there is no need for change. If the times are getting worse, we have to think and we have to work.
That is our task now. It is also satisfying to present solutions, even if they are half-baked or just attempts. The next generations can take them up.
It is also like Bitcoin. People who are born now know Bitcoin from birth. We didn’t. Even the iPhone, the smartphone, was a new thing for us.
People who are born now, and maybe people born in 10 years, will know Free Cities. Of course. That will change the whole mindset.
I think we have a good chance that this nation-state government, which now tries to regulate everything in our life in the name of climate, health, or whatever, will come to an end.
They have peaked, and they somehow feel it. That is why they are now becoming so aggressive.
The solution cannot be to establish the same system again, or a dictator. We have to come up with something that fits into the 21st century, and that is voluntary decision-making and government as a service.
Timothy Allen:
Like you say, the idea will never go away. I think we should leave it there.
Titus Gebel, thank you. Enlightening speaking to you. I’ve had a wonderful time, and actually I think we will have a part two, because I really want to go deep into medieval city-states, if that’s all right.
Titus Gebel:
Yes, then I can prepare for that. It is an interesting thing.
Timothy Allen:
Absolutely. Thanks very much, and good luck with everything.
Titus Gebel:
You’re welcome. Thank you.
Automatically Generated Summary
00:00 Introduction
The host introduces the podcast and mentions that it is an interview with Titus Gebel, the founder and president of the Free Cities Foundation.
Welcome to the Free Cities Podcast
- Timothy Allen welcomes listeners to the podcast.
- He introduces himself as the host of the podcast and mentions that it is the official podcast of the Free Cities Foundation.
Episode Number 34
- This episode is number 34 of the Free Cities Podcast.
- The host mentions that this episode features a discussion with Titus Gebel.
Interview with Titus Gebel
- The host mentions that he had two conversations with Titus Gebel.
- He states that in this episode, they will delve into the history of different city-state models and discuss modern-day incarnations.
- The conversation also explores Titus’s own history, motivations, and predictions for the future of government as a service.
01:45 Questions for Titus Gebel
The host discusses how most interviews with Titus ask similar questions, but he aims to go deeper in this conversation.
Similar Questions in Interviews
- The host acknowledges that many interviews with Titus ask similar questions.
- He mentions that he tried to avoid those usual talking points in this conversation.
Rarely New Questions
- The host notes how rarely new questions arise during interviews with Titus.
- He recalls a recent new question about building a cemetery in free private cities.
Main Questions about Free Private Cities
- Common questions include:
- Is it for everyone or only for wealthy individuals?
- How do you protect against the host nation taking over?
- What about social security?
Tricky Questions
- People who have thought deeply about free private cities may have more complex questions such as:
- What about contract changes?
- How does the model accommodate people born in the city versus those who come later?
- Misunderstandings about the model, such as concerns about democracy and self-determination.
05:19 Self-Determination in Free Private Cities
Titus Gebel explains the concept of self-determination in free private cities.
Limited Government Decision-Making
- Titus emphasizes that decision-making in free private cities is relatively limited.
- He mentions that individuals have the freedom to make decisions for themselves.
Difficult to Understand
- Titus acknowledges that some people find it challenging to grasp the concept of self-determination.
- He appreciates when people question why this model works in a particular way and not another way.
Conclusion
This summary covers the introduction of the podcast, where Timothy Allen introduces himself and announces an interview with Titus Gebel. It also includes a discussion on common questions asked during interviews with Titus and explores the concept of self-determination in free private cities.
12:40 The Success Story of Dubai and the Importance of Common Law
This section discusses how Dubai faced challenges in attracting financing companies due to their local laws. To overcome this, they imported a common law system and judges from London, which led to the establishment of the Dubai International Financial Center (DIC). The DIC now has its own regulatory capacities, court system, and is responsible for a significant portion of Dubai’s GDP.
Dubai’s Solution to Attract Financing Companies
- In the 1890s, Dubai wanted to attract financing companies but faced difficulties due to their local laws.
- They realized that financial hubs like London, New York, Singapore, and Hong Kong were successful because they operated on British common law.
- To address this, Dubai decided to import a common law system and judges from London.
- This led to the establishment of the Dubai International Financial Center (DIC), which now has its own regulatory capacities and court system.
Tremendous Success of the DIC
- The DIC started with only 10 or 30 companies but has grown significantly over time.
- Currently, there are more than 1000 registered companies in the DIC.
- The DIC is responsible for approximately 10% of Dubai’s GDP.
14:00 Extending Common Law System in Dubai
This section highlights how Dubai extended its common law system beyond finance by incorporating family law. High potential financial managers also wanted protection under common law for matters related to marriage and inheritance. Judges were imported from Singapore and other common law countries.
Extension of Common Law System
- The success of the DIC prompted an extension of the common law system in Dubai.
- Family law was included within this framework as high potential financial managers desired protection under common law for marriage and inheritance matters.
- Judges were imported from Singapore, London, and other common law countries.
- Dubai now has its own court system that operates under the common law principles.
15:20 The Need for Contracts and Security in Free Private Cities
This section discusses the importance of contracts and security in free private cities. It mentions how Dubai’s success with a common law system is an example of what is needed in a free private city. It also introduces Honduras as a model inspired by Hong Kong, which aims to create a similar autonomous environment.
Importance of Contracts and Security
- In addition to a common law system, free private cities require contracts with individuals and their own security systems.
- Dubai’s success with its common law system serves as an example of what is needed in a free private city.
- Honduras is mentioned as a model inspired by Hong Kong, aiming to create an autonomous environment similar to that of Hong Kong or Macau.
17:19 Working Examples of Government Contracts in Free Private Cities
This section discusses the concept of government contracts or “government as a service” in free private cities. It mentions Morazon and Prospera as examples where residents are protected by agreements that include bill of rights. These examples are helpful when negotiating with governments.
Government Contracts in Free Private Cities
- The concept of government contracts or “government as a service” involves residents being part of a contract with the government that protects their rights.
- Morazon and Prospera are mentioned as examples where residents have agreements that include bill of rights, providing them protection.
- These examples are helpful when negotiating with governments, as it shows that similar laws already exist in certain regions.
18:38 Increasing Autonomy in Special Economic Zones
This section highlights the trend of increasing autonomy in special economic zones, starting from the 1960s. It mentions Shannon as an example of a special economic zone becoming more autonomous. The speaker sees this trend as encouraging and believes it is a strong momentum for free private cities.
Increasing Autonomy in Special Economic Zones
- There has been a trend of increasing autonomy in special economic zones since the 1960s.
- Shannon is mentioned as an example of a special economic zone that has become more autonomous.
- The speaker finds this trend encouraging and sees it as a strong momentum for free private cities.
Note: The transcript provided does not specify the language used, so I have assumed it to be English based on your request.
19:11 Understanding the Current Situation
The speaker discusses the current situation and emphasizes that it is the right time for certain events to occur.
Something Happening at the Right Time
- The speaker mentions that something is happening at the present moment, indicating that it is an opportune time for certain actions or changes to take place.
28:52 Key Factors in a Successful Model
The speaker highlights two key factors for a successful model – investor protection clauses in treaties and ownership of the operating company.
Investor Protection Clauses and Company Ownership
- Investor protection clauses in treaties are crucial for a successful model.
- The operating company should be owned by a country with a bilateral investor protection agreement with the host nation.
- It is important who owns the company, as it can impact perceptions of whether it is good or bad based on who takes over.
04:02 Contractual Nature and Limited Scope
The speaker explains that ownership of the operating company does not play a role due to its contractual nature. Additionally, they discuss how their model has limited scope in terms of decision-making power.
Ownership Irrelevant in Contractual Model
- In their model, ownership of the operating company does not matter because it operates based on contracts.
- Many people find it difficult to understand this concept since they are accustomed to traditional systems where ownership matters.
Limited Scope and Democracy
- Their model has relatively limited decision-making power.
- Democracy plays a different role in their model compared to traditional systems.
29:11 Importance of Treaty Compliance
The speaker emphasizes that violating signed treaties can have severe consequences, while other aspects are left up to individual responsibility.
Painful Consequences of Treaty Violation
- Violating signed treaties can be very painful and have serious repercussions.
- However, for other aspects not covered by treaties, individuals are responsible for their own actions.
29:17 Job Creation and Decision-Making Power
The speaker discusses the potential for job creation in a free private city and highlights the decision-making power that comes with it.
Job Creation in Free Private City
- A free private city can create numerous jobs, attracting companies from the host nation.
- The ability to make decisions independently is difficult for some people to understand, especially those accustomed to traditional systems.
04:29 Universal Questions and Misconceptions
The speaker acknowledges common questions and misconceptions surrounding their model.
Addressing Universal Questions
- People often raise universal questions about their model.
- Mainstream journalists sometimes try to portray their model negatively without providing explanations.
29:39 Incentives for Host Nation
The speaker explains three incentives for the host nation to support a free private city – economic dependence, political influence, and mobility of residents.
Economic Dependence and Political Influence
- Many families will depend on income generated by the free private city.
- These families are voters or have relatives who are voters, creating an incentive for the host nation not to destroy the city.
- Political opposition within the country may oppose military invasion due to economic benefits received from the free private city.
Mobility of Residents
- People associated with the free private city come from various parts of the world, making them highly mobile.
- This mobility contributes to the success of the model as good people can leave if necessary.
04:52 Addressing Criticisms and Misunderstandings
The speaker addresses criticisms and misunderstandings about their model, such as being against social security and democracy.
Addressing Criticisms
- Critics claim they are against social security and democracy without providing any explanation.
- The speaker is glad to be asked why their model works in a certain way, as there is a reason behind each aspect.
30:05 Potential Consequences of Invasion
The speaker discusses the potential consequences of invading a free private city, using Hong Kong as an example.
Consequences of Invasion
- If a city is invaded, good people will leave, leading to the failure of the model.
- This scenario can be observed in Hong Kong if China continues to exert control over it.
30:26 Self-Determination vs. Political Participation
The speaker explains the difference between self-determination and political participation in the context of a free private city.
Self-Determination vs. Political Participation
- In their model, self-determination is emphasized rather than political participation.
- When decision-making power lies with the ruler of a city, political participation becomes necessary.
05:36 Communicating Complex Concepts
The speaker acknowledges the challenge of effectively communicating complex concepts to ensure understanding by all individuals.
Difficulty in Communication
- Communicating complex concepts can be challenging to ensure universal understanding.
30:32 Discouraging Military Invasion
The speaker highlights that military invasion would not be in the country’s interest due to various factors.
Discouraging Military Invasion
- Military invasion of a free private city is not in the country’s interest.
- Political opposition within the country would oppose such an invasion, considering the benefits received from the city.
30:53 Outcome of Honduran Model
The speaker discusses the potential outcome of the Honduran model and mentions a claim made by Prospera against Honduras.
Potential Outcome and Claim
- The outcome of the Honduran model is uncertain, but there may be an agreement in the future.
- Prospera has made a claim of ten billion dollars against Honduras for 50 years of lost profits and investments.
06:04 Looking to Past Examples
The speaker suggests looking to past examples to find working models and references medieval cities as a possible example.
Learning from Past Examples
- To find working models, it may be helpful to look at examples from the past.
- Medieval cities are mentioned as potential examples worth studying.
31:00 Security and Outcome
The speaker discusses how security plays a role in the success of a model and expresses curiosity about its outcome in relation to the Honduran model.
Role of Security
- Security is not guaranteed but can contribute to success.
- The outcome of the Honduran model remains uncertain, with ongoing discussions and opinions among Hondurans.
06:18 Political Motives Behind Pushback
The speaker mentions political motives behind pushback on certain models, referring to ZEDEs as an example.
Political Motives
- Pushback on certain models can stem from political motives, especially during election times.
- ZEDEs are referenced as an example where political motivations were involved.
31:48
The speaker discusses the importation of judges from London to Monaco and how it played out.
Importing Judges from London
- In Monaco, judges were imported from London.
- This decision was made to establish a court system in Monaco.
- The importation of judges from London actually happened.
37:54
The speaker talks about the first attempts in Cologne to become independent and establish their own common law system.
First Attempts in Cologne
- Around 1100, there were attempts in Cologne to get rid of the bishop and become independent.
- They wanted to be under the emperor but have their own common law system.
- Cologne established its own common law system, which eventually extended to family law.
14:06
The speaker explains why high potential financial managers do not want to be subject to barrier law when it comes to marriage or inheritance.
High Potential Financial Managers and Imported Judges
- High potential financial managers do not want to be subject to barrier law regarding marriage or inheritance.
- To address this, they have imported judges from Singapore, London, and other common law countries.
- These imported judges contribute to an independent court system for financial matters.
38:14
The speaker discusses how Cologne eventually got rid of the bishop with military support from neighboring princes.
Getting Rid of the Bishop in Cologne
- It took around 100 years for Cologne to eventually get rid of the bishop.
- They achieved this by militarily defeating him with support from neighboring princes.
- This victory granted them autonomy and allowed them to establish their own rules.
38:40
The speaker highlights the success of Cologne and other cities in establishing their own rules and becoming autonomous.
Success of Cologne and Other Cities
- Cologne’s success in getting rid of the bishop inspired other cities to follow suit.
- Business people and honorable individuals made decisions in these cities.
- Over time, the number of voters increased, leading to powerful upper Italian cities.
- These cities became autonomous and had their own court systems.
14:49
The speaker mentions the success of Dubai’s Dubai International Financial Center (DIC) as a working example.
Success of Dubai’s DIC
- The DIC is a small area of Dubai, covering about a square mile or quarter of a mile.
- It has its own regulatory capacities and different set of rules compared to the rest of Dubai.
- More than 1000 companies are registered in the DIC, contributing significantly to Dubai’s GDP.
39:07
The speaker discusses how ancient Greek polis and Italian city-states provide examples of what can go wrong with democracy over time.
Ancient Greek Polis and Italian City-States
- The ancient Greek polis and Italian city-states show the potential issues with democracy over time.
- In Italian city-states, powerful families took over the system.
- Venice opposed one family ruling the city-state, leading to its unique governance model.
39:35
The speaker explains how Honduras is modeled after Hong Kong as a special administrative region belonging to China.
Honduras Modeled After Hong Kong
- Honduras is modeled after Hong Kong, which is officially called a special administrative region.
- China is responsible for foreign policy and defense, while everything else is managed by Hong Kong itself.
- Hong Kong has its own parliament, police force, flag, currency, courts, etc.
39:55
The speaker discusses the voting system in Hong Kong and the issue of unpredictability in government elections.
Voting System in Hong Kong
- Hong Kong has a complicated voting system where electors are elected by a group of electors.
- This system makes it unpredictable who will eventually be in government.
- The model aims to prevent vote-buying, populistic messages, and bribing of votes.
40:09
The speaker mentions the success of special administrative regions like Hong Kong and special economic zones like Dubai International Financial Center.
Success of Special Administrative Regions and Economic Zones
- Special administrative regions like Hong Kong and special economic zones like Dubai International Financial Center have been successful models.
- They have their own governance systems, regulations, and contribute significantly to their respective countries’ economies.
40:22
The speaker highlights the historical significance of Venice as an independent city-state with its own rules.
Venice as an Independent City-State
- Venice started under the Roman Byzantine Empire but eventually became factually independent.
- It lasted for 1100 years without a single government overthrow.
- Venice had its own economic zone and made rules independently.
40:33
The speaker emphasizes that free private cities need a contract with people to establish security and rules.
Free Private Cities Need Contracts
- Free private cities require contracts with people to establish security and rules.
- Examples include Genoa, Pisa, Florence, which were ruled by powerful families.
- Honduras is another example modeled after Hong Kong’s special administrative region.
40:53 Monaco’s Tax Advantage
This section discusses why the family in question decided to move to Monaco and stop paying taxes in France.
Reasons for Relocating to Monaco
- The family moved to Monaco to avoid paying taxes on their wealth in France.
- By becoming residents of Monaco, they no longer had to pay taxes on their wealth.
47:12 Establishing Multiple City States
This section explores the idea of establishing multiple city states or independent jurisdictions.
Creating Multiple City States
- The idea is to establish not just one city state, but multiple ones.
- This approach would prevent any single city state from being easily stopped or controlled.
- Even if some city states fail, the overall model would still survive.
- The goal is to create a landscape with numerous independent jurisdictions.
47:30 Unique Characteristics of Monaco
This section highlights the unique characteristics of Monaco and its relationship with France.
Unique Aspects of Monaco
- Monaco is surrounded by France but has an open border to the sea.
- It has a long history of agreements and treaties with France.
- The Prince of Monaco was married to a famous American actress, which helped establish connections with various governments including Italy, Vatican, and the US.
- There was an agreement made between Monaco and France regarding taxation for individuals moving from France to Monaco.
48:04 Long-Term Thinking and Negotiations
This section emphasizes the importance of long-term thinking and negotiations in creating successful independent jurisdictions.
Long-Term Perspective
- The speaker believes in thinking long-term when it comes to establishing independent jurisdictions.
- Negotiations were conducted with various parties, including the French government, to reach compromises and agreements.
- The reputation of Monaco played a significant role in attracting people and governments to support its development.
48:20 Future Vision for Independent Jurisdictions
This section discusses the ideal future vision for independent jurisdictions and describes how it could be achieved.
Future Vision
- The ideal future would consist of multiple independent jurisdictions or city states.
- Individuals born in these jurisdictions would initially be under their parents’ contract.
- At the age of 18, they would have the option to become contractual individuals on their own.
- The goal is to create communities that are affluent and interconnected with surrounding areas.
25:34 Historical Treaties with France
This section provides historical context regarding treaties between Monaco and France.
Historical Treaties
- In the past, treaties were made between Monaco and France regarding taxation for individuals moving from France to Monaco.
- A compromise was reached in 1963, stating that individuals moving from France to Monaco had to pay taxes to France but not others.
48:31 Challenges and Complexity
This section acknowledges the challenges and complexity involved in establishing independent jurisdictions.
Challenges Faced
- The speaker acknowledges that it always takes longer and is more difficult than anticipated.
- Establishing independent jurisdictions involves dealing with legal complexities and potential resistance from various parties.
- The example of Honduras is mentioned as a case where early progress was made due to cooperation from the government.
48:48 Collaboration with Existing Governments
This section highlights collaboration with existing governments in creating successful independent jurisdictions.
Collaboration with Governments
- Collaborating with existing governments can help establish successful independent jurisdictions.
- Monaco pays for French police services, showcasing a collaborative relationship.
- Prospera, another example, collaborates with the Honduran government and pays for infrastructure.
49:19 Future Perspective and Community Integration
This section discusses the future perspective of independent jurisdictions and their integration with surrounding communities.
Future Perspective
- The ideal future involves having multiple independent jurisdictions that attract people from various backgrounds.
- Individuals born in these jurisdictions would have the option to become contractual individuals at a certain age.
- The goal is to create affluent communities that interact with surrounding areas.
49:53
This section discusses the potential negative impact of income inequality on society.
Impact of Free Love and Income Inequality
- Income inequality can be detrimental to society.
- It is not in the country’s interest to promote this outcome.
53:01
This section explores the learning curve associated with implementing new ideas and the presence of political opposition.
Learning Curve and Political Opposition
- The learning curve for implementing new ideas may be steep.
- Political opposition will always exist, criticizing new initiatives as foolish or stupid.
53:06
This section discusses the time it takes to realize the failure of certain systems, such as communism, and the potential benefits of a free private city.
Time to Realize Failure and Benefits of Free Private City
- It took 70 years to realize that communism does not work.
- A free private city can provide benefits such as economic prosperity and security.
- The outcome of implementing a free private city is yet to be seen.
31:08
This section mentions a claim made by Prospera against Honduras for lost profits, highlighting potential challenges faced by free private cities.
Claim Against Honduras
- Prospera has made a claim of ten billion dollars against Honduras for 50 years of lost profits.
- This claim poses challenges for free private cities.
53:13
This section emphasizes the importance of having multiple competing societies to facilitate faster learning from successful models. It also mentions potential agreements between nations regarding governance models.
Importance of Competing Societies and Potential Agreements
- Having multiple competing societies allows for quicker identification and adoption of successful models.
- People would expect their government to adopt successful practices observed in neighboring societies.
- Agreements between nations may be reached to adopt certain governance models.
53:35
This section discusses the possibility that some individuals may choose to remain in their nation states, but agreements can still be made with the government. It also mentions the initial political motivations behind opposition to free private cities.
Individuals Remaining in Nation States and Political Motivations
- Some individuals may choose to remain in their nation states.
- Agreements can still be made with governments, even if there is initial opposition.
- Initial pushback against free private cities may have been politically motivated.
31:42
This section mentions that things are progressing positively and becoming less tense in relation to free private cities.
Positive Progress
- Things are moving along positively and becoming less tense regarding free private cities.
53:42
This section highlights potential effects of free private cities, such as demands for contracts from governments and the need for success for long-term impact.
Effects of Free Private Cities
- Governments may face demands for contracts similar to those offered by free private city operators.
- The success of free private cities is crucial for long-term impact.
53:54
This section emphasizes the importance of starting now, even if only future generations will fully experience the unfolding world. It also raises a question about Monaco’s history.
Importance of Starting Now and Question about Monaco’s History
- Starting now is important, as future generations will witness the full realization of new ideas.
- The speaker asks about Monaco’s history and how it became what it is today.
32:02
This section briefly discusses the historical conflict and religious influences that shaped Monaco.
Historical Conflict and Religious Influences
- Monaco’s history involves conflicts and religious influences dating back to the 1200s.
54:08
This section mentions the importance of travel in the free private city model and references dangerous precedents set during the pandemic. It also raises a question about supporters and enemies of the pope.
Importance of Travel and Precedents Set
- Travel is an important aspect of the free private city model.
- Dangerous precedents were set during the pandemic regarding travel restrictions.
- The speaker asks about supporters and enemies of the pope in relation to individual private cities.
54:29
This section discusses how access to open seas can provide opportunities for growth, using Monaco as an example.
Access to Open Seas
- Access to open seas has historically been crucial for growth.
- Monaco benefited from its access to open seas, which allowed it to thrive.
54:45
This section mentions that Monaco was not invaded but faced pressure multiple times. It also highlights how surrounding French communities were once part of Monaco.
Pressure Faced by Monaco and Surrounding Communities
- Monaco faced pressure multiple times but was not invaded.
- Surrounding French communities were once part of Monaco’s territory.
33:20
This section briefly mentions that Monton once belonged to Monaco, highlighting changes in territorial size over time.
Changes in Territorial Size
- Monton was once part of Monaco, which had a larger territory in the past.
55:06
This section emphasizes the importance of having a way out and mentions the potential use of free private cities to address challenges such as pandemics and climate change.
Having a Way Out and Addressing Challenges
- Having a way out is important in challenging situations.
- Free private cities can potentially provide solutions for issues like pandemics and climate change.
33:34
This section briefly mentions territorial changes involving Italy, Savoy, and France.
Territorial Changes
- Parts of what is now Italy and Savoy were once going to France.
- Monaco’s territory also underwent changes during this time.
55:30
This section discusses the association between free private cities and their ability to collaborate on travel and mutual visiting. It also mentions the historical reasons behind Monaco becoming part of France.
Collaboration Among Free Private Cities and Historical Reasons for Monaco’s Association with France
- Free private cities can collaborate on travel and mutual visiting.
- Monaco became part of France due to historical reasons, including tax differences.
Note: The transcript provided does not contain enough information about the content discussed in some sections.
55:51 The Hanseatic League
In this section, the speaker discusses the Hanseatic League and its origins.
Origins of the Hanseatic League
- The Hanseatic League was formed by Italian cities who observed what was happening in other Italian cities.
- The league aimed to protect their interests and establish powerful networks among themselves.
41:22 Electoral System in Venice
This section focuses on the electoral system in Venice.
Evolution of the Electoral System
- Initially, a council was elected, and over time, more social groups gained voting rights.
- Powerful networks controlled the distribution of power among themselves.
42:03 Complex Government Structure in Venice
Here, the speaker explains the complex government structure in Venice.
Complicated Government Structure
- Venetians developed a complex system where 25 election men were elected by the population.
- These 25 individuals then nominated another 25 people who ultimately formed the government.
- The system aimed to prevent dictatorship and ensure a fair distribution of power.
43:05 Transition and End of Venetian System
This section discusses the transition into the Venetian system and its eventual end.
Transition and Collapse
- The transition from previous systems to the Venetian system took several hundred years.
- Observing political dynamics for 30 years, it became clear that this system would eventually collapse.
- After Napoleon invaded Venice in 1797, there was no resurgence of the old system. It marked an end to Venetian independence.
43:48 Reasons for Success and End of Venetian System
Here, reasons for both success and end of Venetian system are explored.
Market-Based Approach and Collapse
- The Venetians recognized the market as the best mechanism for serving people’s needs.
- The system relied on voluntary decisions and took several hundred years to develop successfully.
- After Napoleon’s departure in 1815, there was no resurgence of the Venetian system. People may have been hesitant due to the changing times.
01:01:51 Motivation for Political Engagement
This section delves into the speaker’s motivation for political engagement.
Personal Motivation
- The speaker was motivated by a desire to address what they perceived as wrong and offer alternative solutions.
- They felt an obligation to inform fellow citizens about their proposals.
01:02:10 Role of Individuals in Political Change
Here, the speaker discusses the role of individuals in political change.
Individual Responsibility
- If one identifies something wrong and has a solution, it becomes their obligation to share it with others.
- Observing political dynamics over time led the speaker to believe that systems can be unsustainable and eventually collapse.
01:02:33 Complexity of Venetian System
This section highlights the complexity of the Venetian system.
Intricacies of Government Structure
- The government structure in Venice was intricate, involving multiple layers of nomination and election.
- It aimed to prevent concentration of power while ensuring participation from various individuals.
01:03:07 Transition Period and Collapse Cycles
Here, the speaker discusses transition periods and cycles of collapse.
Transition Period and Cycles
- The transition into the Venetian system likely took place around 1415 or 1500.
- Over several hundred years, Venice developed its successful system through observation and adaptation.
- However, cycles of collapse were inevitable due to changing circumstances and power dynamics.
01:03:45 Reasons for Venetian System’s End
This section explores the reasons behind the end of the Venetian system.
Uncertain Future and Changing Times
- After Napoleon’s invasion, Venice did not regain its independence.
- The people may have been hesitant to revert to the old system due to changing times and circumstances.
01:04:01 Development of Venetian System
Here, the speaker discusses the development of the Venetian system.
Tribal Origins and Evolution
- The origins of Venice can be traced back to tribal people seeking refuge from the downfall of the Western Roman Empire.
- Over time, a leader was elected, and they gradually developed a system for living together successfully.
01:04:18 Researching and Writing About Venice
This section focuses on researching and writing about Venice.
Research Process
- The speaker spent three years conducting interviews and reading extensively about Venice.
- Their book, published in 2018, provides insights into the history and dynamics of Venice’s political system.
44:45 The Impact of Hard Times on Communities
In this section, the speaker discusses the idea that hard times can create strong and good people. They also mention how the internet helps in finding like-minded individuals around the world.
Hard Times and Strong Communities
- Hard times can lead to the development of strong communities.
- The internet facilitates connecting with like-minded people globally.
- Free private cities are based on common ideas and values rather than ethnicity or religion.
Portfolio Life and Common Values
- Individuals have the option to live a portfolio life or join communities with shared values.
- Free private cities attract individuals who resonate with their ideas and values.
- Internet communities can prepare individuals for free private cities.
Learning from Existing Communities
- Starting a community from scratch is challenging.
- Examples like Amish intentional communities exist but may not be suitable for everyone.
- Young people should explore the outside world before deciding where to settle.
Bottlenecks in Creating Cities
- Attracting people to new cities is a significant challenge.
- Existing gated communities may lack soul and common values.
- A successful city requires more than just real estate.
01:10:34 Manifesting Ideas in Real Life
In this section, the speaker discusses how manifesting ideas in real life is facilitated by finding like-minded individuals through the internet. They also highlight that successful societies will emerge through competition between different models.
Finding Like-Minded People Online
- The internet helps in finding like-minded individuals worldwide.
- Free private cities are built on common ideas and values rather than ethnic or religious backgrounds.
Competition Between Ideas
- Different ideas will compete to become successful societies in the future.
- Nice real estate alone is not enough; common values are essential for success.
Learning Curve of Societies
- The learning curve of societies will be faster when there are hundreds of competing societies.
- Copying successful models becomes easier in a competitive environment.
01:11:46 The Importance of Common Values
In this section, the speaker emphasizes the importance of common values in creating and sustaining communities. They also discuss the role of ideology and the need for travel in free private cities.
Glue that Binds Communities
- Common values act as the glue that binds communities together.
- Non-aggression principle and libertarianism are core tenets in some communities.
Success Depends on Common Values
- Success depends on having common values, not just real estate.
- The ability to travel is crucial for free private cities.
Competing Out Ideological Cities
- Terrible ideological cities will be competed out of business.
- People have the freedom to associate with any ideas they want.
53:06 Learning from Competition Between Societies
In this section, the speaker discusses how competition between different societies can lead to faster learning and copying successful models.
Learning from Competition
- It took 70 years to realize that communism does not work in the Soviet Union.
- With hundreds of competing societies, learning becomes faster.
01:12:14 Creating Cities with Ideological Commonality
In this section, the speaker discusses creating cities based on ideological commonality as an antidote to soulless real estate bubbles. They also address concerns about terrible ideological cities arising.
Founding Cities on Ideological Commonality
- Creating cities based on ideological commonality can counter soulless real estate bubbles.
Addressing Concerns about Ideological Cities
- Terrible ideological cities will be competed out of business.
- People have the freedom to associate with any ideas they want.
01:13:00 The Importance of Common Values and Travel
In this section, the speaker emphasizes the importance of common values and travel in creating successful communities.
Importance of Common Values
- Common values are crucial for the success of communities.
- Non-aggression principle is a core tenet in some communities.
The Role of Travel
- The ability to travel is essential for free private cities.
- Success depends on having common values, not just real estate.
01:13:31 The Importance of Free Private Cities
In this section, the speaker discusses the importance of allowing free private cities to exist and why it is necessary to live with different types of regimes.
Free Private Cities as a Solution
- The speaker emphasizes that it is crucial to allow free private cities to exist, rather than bombing or invading countries with different regimes.
- He mentions that fundamentalist religious or communist regimes should be accepted and lived with.
- The concept of free private cities provides an alternative solution for people who want to live under different systems.
Access to Open Seas
- The speaker highlights the significance of having access to the open sea, which has historically served as a gateway for trade and connection between nations.
- He argues that preventing the establishment of free private cities would limit opportunities for innovation and progress.
Testing Ideas and Mistakes
- The speaker believes that every idea, even if considered crazy, should be allowed to be tested in order to learn from mistakes and explore new possibilities.
- He suggests that restricting the creation of experimental cities would hinder progress and limit potential breakthroughs.
A New Hanseatic League
- One idea discussed is the formation of a new Hanseatic League, similar to the historical trading alliance in Northern Europe.
- This league would focus on mutual cooperation among free private cities, including travel arrangements and economic partnerships.
55:54 Understanding the Hanseatic League
In this section, the speaker explains what the Hanseatic League was and how it operated in history.
Introduction to the Hanseatic League
- The Hanseatic League was an association of trading cities in Northern Europe during medieval times.
- Its main purpose was to facilitate business transactions by allowing merchants from member cities to freely travel between them while being protected by shared rules.
Success and Influence
- The Hanseatic League was highly successful in its time, with member cities establishing their own warehouses even in major trading hubs like London.
- It played a significant role in shaping trade and commerce across the region.
Voluntary Association
- The Hanseatic League operated as a voluntary association of independent cities.
- Each city had the freedom to decide whether to join the league and had autonomy over its own laws, as long as it respected the rights and protections of merchants from other member cities.
01:14:36 Lessons from the Hanseatic League for Free Private Cities
In this section, the speaker draws parallels between the Hanseatic League and free private cities, highlighting lessons that can be learned from history.
Small-Scale Governance
- The speaker notes that both the Hanseatic League and free private cities operate on a smaller scale compared to large nation-states.
- Smaller entities often have more success in terms of governance and administration.
Limited Impact
- One advantage of small-scale systems is that any potential negative consequences or damage caused by their actions are limited to themselves or a specific area.
- This contrasts with larger centralized powers that can have far-reaching impacts.
Autonomy and Cooperation
- Both the Hanseatic League and free private cities emphasize autonomy for individual members while promoting cooperation among them.
- They allow cities to maintain their unique identities while benefiting from shared rules and protections.
01:15:30 Future Importance of Cities
In this section, the speaker discusses his perspective on the future importance of cities compared to nation-states.
Growing Significance of Cities
- The speaker predicts that cities will become increasingly important compared to nation-states in the future.
- As urban areas continue to grow in population and influence, they will play a more significant role in shaping society and governance.
Note: The transcript provided does not contain timestamps for the remaining sections.
01:16:20 The Future of Free Societies
In this section, the speaker discusses the concept of service-oriented models and how people can be treated as customers in free societies. They also explore the idea of living outside cities and the potential for free villages or farms to exist as independent jurisdictions.
Service-Oriented Models and Living Outside Cities
- The speaker suggests that adopting service-oriented models where people are treated as customers could be beneficial for free societies.
- They mention living on a former farm in a remote area and question how they would fit into the concept of freedom.
- Living outside cities offers more privacy and freedom compared to city-centric models.
- The speaker acknowledges that not everyone may want to live in a city again, but states that this will only delay, not stop, the process of people seeking alternative lifestyles.
- There is a discussion about jurisdictions and whether there will be places like free imperial villages that operate independently under an emperor’s rule.
New Frontiers: Sea and Space
- The lack of new frontiers is mentioned, with the sea and space being potential options.
- The speaker suggests that settling on other planets could be a future possibility due to advancements in space exploration.
- They highlight the practicality of cities in terms of infrastructure setup but also mention the potential for settlements on the sea or other planets.
Jurisdictional Independence
- The importance of jurisdictional independence is emphasized, particularly for villages and farms.
- Security is discussed as a crucial aspect, with different jurisdictions potentially capitalizing on their unique systems.
- Examples are given regarding Indian reservations being sovereign nations but still following certain rules set by host nations.
01:17:55 Settling New Frontiers
In this section, the speaker talks about settling new frontiers and how the universe still offers opportunities for exploration and the establishment of free societies. They also discuss security measures and the potential evolution or devolution of societies.
Settling the Universe
- The speaker expresses their belief that mankind will eventually settle the universe, although they are unsure when this will happen.
- Settlements in space are compared to historical explorations over oceans, where people ventured into the unknown.
- The idea of large borders and different tax and custom systems is mentioned, with host nations potentially requiring security measures like walls or fences.
Security Measures
- The use of drones and cameras for security purposes is discussed as a cost-effective solution for large areas.
- The speaker suggests that advancements in technology can provide relatively cheap security options.
Evolution or Devolution
- There is a discussion about whether societies will evolve or devolve when seeking new frontiers.
- Historical examples such as Venice being conquered after being a free city for a long time are mentioned.
- Personal questions are asked about family members’ opinions on these ideas, but no specific answers are provided.
01:19:07 New Frontiers and Family Perspectives
In this section, the speaker briefly touches upon new frontiers appearing as societies evolve or devolve. They also mention personal questions about family perspectives on these concepts.
New Frontiers Appearing
- The possibility of new frontiers appearing as societies evolve or devolve is acknowledged.
- Historical examples like Venice being conquered after existing as a free city for centuries are mentioned.
Personal Questions About Family Perspectives
- The speaker asks personal questions about family members’ thoughts on these ideas but does not provide any specific answers.
01:19:15 The Renaissance and the Crisis of Western Civilization
In this section, the speaker discusses the starting point for cities during the Renaissance and how Western civilization is currently facing a crisis. They highlight the importance of new models and free cities in maintaining a high standard of civilization.
The Importance of New Models and Free Cities
- The Renaissance marked a significant period for cities and civilization.
- Western civilization is currently in a crisis, but new models are necessary to address this.
- Free cities with a small population can maintain a high standard of civilization.
- Comparing skills today with those from 150 years ago raises doubts about continued progress.
01:01:21 Motivation and Observations
In this section, the speaker discusses their motivation for advocating free cities and shares observations about political systems.
Personal Motivation
- The speaker’s motivation stems from their observation that Western society is declining.
- They believe it is their obligation to propose solutions when they identify something wrong.
Observations on Political Systems
- The speaker reflects on their experience observing political systems in Germany.
- They express concerns about the reformability of current systems and potential collapse.
01:19:44 Doubts About Continued Progress
In this section, the speaker expresses doubts about whether progress will continue as it has in the past.
Doubts About Progress
- Considering the skills people had 150 years ago, there are doubts about continued progress.
- It is necessary for new models to emerge to maintain a high standard of civilization.
01:02:01 Role in Shaping Society
In this section, the speaker discusses their role in shaping society and their belief that free cities can provide a way out of the crisis.
Shaping Society
- The speaker believes they have a role in shaping society and proposing new ideas.
- They compare the ease of steering a small city to that of a large country.
01:20:12 Downfall of Western Society and Solutions
In this section, the speaker discusses the downfall of Western society, potential solutions, and their obligation to share ideas with fellow citizens.
Downfall of Western Society
- The speaker believes that Western society is currently in a crisis.
- They see this as an opportunity for change and finding solutions.
Obligation to Share Ideas
- If one identifies something wrong and has a solution, it is their obligation to inform others.
- The speaker feels compelled to share their proposal for free cities as an alternative model.
01:02:36 Proposal and Observations
In this section, the speaker discusses their proposal for free cities based on observations made over 30 years.
Proposal for Free Cities
- After observing political systems over many years, the speaker proposes free cities as an alternative model.
01:20:40 Comparing Current Situation with Roman Times
In this section, the speaker compares the current situation with Roman times and highlights advantages such as better connectivity and more political entities.
Advantages Compared to Roman Times
- Unlike during the decline of the Roman Empire, there are more political entities today.
- Better connectivity allows for quicker problem-solving and learning from each other’s experiences.
01:04:15 Main Messages Remain Unchanged
In this section, the speaker mentions that despite being published in 2018, they believe the main messages of their book will remain unchanged.
Timelessness of Main Messages
- The speaker believes that the main messages conveyed in their book will remain relevant over time.
01:22:28 Smooth Transition and Observing Society
The speaker discusses the smooth transition of power from the state and emphasizes the importance of observing and formulating ideas for societal development.
Smooth Transition of Power
- The speaker describes a smooth transition as a slow draining of power from the state.
- They believe this is a realistic and beneficial approach for society.
- The speaker sees their contribution to society as observing and formulating ideas rather than being solely focused on business.
Lessons from the Fall of the Roman Empire
- The speaker mentions that having only one world government, like during the fall of the Roman Empire, would be disastrous.
- They highlight the importance of finding one’s strengths and deploying them for societal improvement.
- The downfall of Rome was characterized by a shift from a successful republic to a dictatorship, leading to a decline in citizen participation and military service.
Long-Term Thinking
- The speaker expresses satisfaction in studying historical events such as the fall of Rome.
- They emphasize thinking in very long-term perspectives rather than just focusing on personal lifetime or immediate gains.
- It is satisfying for them to contribute to improving future generations’ actions through observation and formulation.
01:23:46 Taking Care of Past and Future Generations
The speaker reflects on how societies take care of past and future generations, drawing parallels with historical events. They also discuss their subjective satisfaction in contributing to societal improvement.
Decline of Empires
- The speaker discusses how empires deteriorate when they fail to realize changing circumstances.
- They mention that people stop wanting to serve in the military, leading empires to hire others who may not have their best interests at heart.
- This decline results in dissatisfaction among citizens who prefer tangible benefits like economic prosperity over abstract concepts like patriotism.
Learning from History
- The speaker finds satisfaction in studying history and learning from past mistakes.
- They mention the importance of improving future generations’ actions by considering what can be done to enhance their well-being.
- Taking care of the past and future is a fulfilling endeavor for the speaker.
01:24:03 Libertarianism and Free Market of Ideas
The speaker discusses libertarianism, its reputation, and its recent growth as ideas spread more easily through modern means like the internet.
Libertarianism’s Reputation
- The speaker acknowledges that libertarianism has had a bad reputation in the past.
- They attribute this to limited access to information and communication channels prior to the internet era.
Growth of Libertarian Ideas
- The speaker highlights that libertarian ideas have gained traction in recent years due to increased access to information.
- They mention how people in Brazil, for example, have become interested in libertarianism after hearing about it.
- This growth is attributed to an explosion of ideas facilitated by improved communication channels.
01:07:00 Development of Libertarian Ideas
The speaker discusses the historical development of libertarian ideas starting from the 1800s and emphasizes their compatibility with individual freedom.
Industrial Revolution and Individual Freedom
- The speaker traces the development of libertarian ideas back to the industrial revolution in the 1800s.
- They highlight how this period sparked discussions on allowing individuals to freely engage in contracts with each other, which was previously uncommon.
- These ideas align with individual freedom rather than conforming to traditional societal norms.
01:07:34 The Problem with Libertarianism
In this section, the speaker discusses why libertarianism has a bad reputation and how it differs from what people are used to.
Libertarianism and Reputation
- Libertarianism is often misunderstood and has a bad reputation.
- It goes against what people are accustomed to in terms of governance and societal systems.
- Legacy systems, rooted in the past, have shaped people’s expectations.
- Historically, societies were ruled by the strongest warriors or chiefs.
01:25:34 The Downfall of Empires
This section explores the reasons behind the downfall of empires and draws parallels to today’s world.
Natural Life Cycle of Empires
- The speaker discusses the natural life cycle of empires.
- There are similarities between historical empires and current societal structures.
- Good times do not necessarily create good people or leaders.
- The transition from tribal rule to elected leaders occurred over time.
01:25:55 Transition to Democracy
This section focuses on the transition from tribal rule to democracy and how it impacted society.
Transition to Democracy
- Over time, people desired more participation in decision-making processes.
- Princes elected kings, followed by larger groups electing presidents.
- Democracy allowed individuals to have a say in governance.
01:26:03 Political Cycle after Crisis
Here, the speaker explains the political cycle that occurs after a crisis and its impact on society.
Political Cycle after Crisis
- After a crisis, there is a political cycle that begins with electing a leader (king/president).
- Reasonable individuals come into power with the intention of fixing problems.
- As society gains more control over their own lives, the need for decision-makers decreases.
01:26:22 Individual Decision-Making
This section emphasizes the importance of individual decision-making and personal freedom.
Individual Decision-Making
- Individuals should have the freedom to make decisions for themselves.
- Examples include choosing between sparkling or still water, or deciding on a holiday destination.
- The speaker highlights the shift towards individual autonomy in decision-making.
01:08:54 Restrictions on Travel
The speaker discusses restrictions on travel and individuals’ loss of decision-making power.
Loss of Travel Freedom
- People are increasingly restricted in their ability to travel freely.
- Individuals feel that their freedom to make choices is being limited.
01:26:27 Freedom of Contract and Rule of Law
This section explores the concepts of freedom of contract and rule of law in relation to societal systems.
Freedom of Contract and Rule of Law
- Freedom of contract and rule of law are essential principles.
- Society recovers when these principles are upheld.
- Good people naturally emerge within this framework.
01:26:35 State Intervention and Wealth Creation
Here, the speaker discusses state intervention, wealth creation, and its impact on society.
State Intervention and Wealth Creation
- State intervention can lead to wealth redistribution.
- Some individuals advocate for distributing money to those in need.
- However, this approach may not be sustainable as it reduces productivity.
01:26:43 Left-Wing Policies and Decision-Making
This section focuses on left-wing policies, decision-making, and individual autonomy.
Left-Wing Policies and Decision-Making
- Left-wing policies often involve decisions made on behalf of others.
- The speaker suggests creating left-wing free cities to allow for individual decision-making.
01:26:49 The Problem with State Monopoly
This section highlights the issue of state monopoly and its impact on decision-making.
State Monopoly and Decision-Making
- State monopoly can lead to individuals using force to take from others.
- Over time, more groups turn to the state for redistribution.
- The state’s power grows as it becomes the entity responsible for redistribution.
01:26:56 Transfer of Wealth and Market Dynamics
This section explores the transfer of wealth and market dynamics within society.
Transfer of Wealth and Market Dynamics
- Individuals may seek to increase their standard of living by taking from others.
- However, most people do not engage in such behavior.
- The speaker emphasizes that market dynamics are based on voluntary exchanges.
01:27:03 Service Contracts and Living Together
Here, the speaker discusses service contracts and how they contribute to societal cohesion.
Service Contracts and Living Together
- Service contracts ensure that obligations are fulfilled.
- Society functions through a network of service contracts in various areas of life.
01:27:07 Punishment and Government Role
This section focuses on punishment, government role, and societal order.
Punishment and Government Role
- Governments serve as institutions that administer punishment.
- Some individuals may turn to the state for redistribution or punishment without personal consequences.
01:27:15 Transfer Ideas in Different Areas of Life
This section highlights the transferability of ideas across different areas of life.
Transferability of Ideas
- The speaker believes that the transfer of ideas, such as service contracts, is possible.
- Examples from other areas of life provide evidence for the feasibility of new approaches.
01:10:06 Fulfillment and Legal Recourse
This section discusses fulfillment of service contracts and legal recourse in case of non-compliance.
Fulfillment and Legal Recourse
- Service contracts require fulfillment or legal action can be taken.
- Individuals have the right to seek legal recourse if obligations are not met.
01:27:21 State as a Punitive Institution
This section explores the role of the state as a punitive institution.
State as a Punitive Institution
- The state serves as an entity that administers punishment.
- Over time, more groups turn to the state for redistribution and punishment.
01:27:26 Non-Productive Sectors and Wealth Creation
Here, the speaker discusses non-productive sectors and their impact on wealth creation.
Non-Productive Sectors and Wealth Creation
- There is an increasing number of individuals working in non-productive sectors.
- NGOs, education, and other sectors contribute to wealth redistribution rather than creation.
01:27:38 Redistribution Sector and Taxes
This section focuses on the redistribution sector and its connection to taxes.
Redistribution Sector and Taxes
- NGOs funded by taxes contribute to wealth redistribution.
- More people leaving productive sectors leads to increased reliance on taxation for funding.
01:27:44 Online Communities Manifesting in Real Life
This section briefly touches upon online communities manifesting in real life.
Online Communities and Real Life
- The internet facilitates the formation of like-minded communities.
- These communities can have an impact on real-life interactions and dynamics.
01:28:14 The Role of Printing Money and Increasing Taxes
In this section, the speaker discusses the role of printing money and increasing taxes in the state’s actions. They mention that printing money is an easy way for the state to increase revenue, but it can lead to problems such as inflation. The speaker also highlights the importance of internet communities in preparing for economic changes.
Printing Money and Increasing Taxes
- The state often resorts to printing money and increasing taxes to generate revenue.
- This approach can have negative consequences, such as inflation.
- Internet communities have the advantage of being able to adapt more easily to economic changes.
01:28:44 Challenges in Developing Real Cities
In this section, the speaker discusses challenges faced in developing real cities. They mention that many cities today are facing financial difficulties and resorting to tricks to delay insolvency. The lack of common values and a sense of community is identified as a major bottleneck in city development.
Financial Challenges and Lack of Community
- Many cities are facing financial difficulties and are using various tactics to postpone insolvency.
- One major challenge is the lack of common values and a sense of community within these cities.
- Merely having nice real estate is not enough; a strong community with shared values is essential for successful city development.
01:29:06 Bilateral Contracts as a Solution
In this section, the speaker proposes bilateral contracts as a solution to address issues related to city development. They emphasize that having contracts with city operators allows residents to have a say in how their city operates without interference from external entities.
Bilateral Contracts for City Development
- Having bilateral contracts with city operators provides residents with a platform to voice their preferences.
- These contracts ensure that external entities cannot interfere with the agreed-upon terms.
- The speaker believes that in addition to real estate, common values and a sense of community are crucial for creating a thriving city.
01:29:50 The Importance of Common Values in Free Private Cities
In this section, the speaker emphasizes the importance of common values in free private cities. They discuss how having a contract with the city operator ensures that income distribution and changes to the contract cannot be unilaterally influenced by external entities.
Common Values and Contractual Stability
- Having common values is essential for maintaining stability and cohesion within free private cities.
- A contract with the city operator safeguards against external interference in income distribution and contractual changes.
- Real estate bubbles without a sense of community lack soul and fail to attract residents.
01:30:03 Voluntary Association vs. Legislative Bodies
In this section, the speaker discusses the difference between voluntary association and legislative bodies. They argue that over time, legislative bodies tend to increase laws, taxes, debt, and unproductive individuals. The speaker suggests changing the system to allow people to voluntarily associate under their preferred ideas.
Voluntary Association vs. Legislative Bodies
- Legislative bodies tend to accumulate more laws, taxes, debt, and unproductive individuals over time.
- Changing the system to allow voluntary association based on individual preferences can help mitigate these issues.
- While people should have the right to leave undesirable cities or systems, forceful intervention is not advocated.
01:30:29 Restricting Ideas vs. Allowing Testing
In this section, the speaker discusses restricting ideas versus allowing them to be tested in reality. They mention how even historically restrictive societies eventually see new ideas being tested. The speaker argues that preventing the realization of certain ideas may hinder progress.
Restricting Ideas and Allowing Testing
- Restricting ideas from becoming reality is often driven by fear and concern from the state.
- Eventually, every idea that surrounds society will be tested, either in the current or future generations.
- Preventing the testing of ideas may impede progress and innovation.
Note: The transcript provided does not specify the language used. Therefore, I have assumed it to be English based on your request for English-language notes.
01:31:00 The Desire for Free Private Cities
In this section, the speaker discusses the desire for free private cities and the motivation behind it.
Motivation to Establish Free Private Cities
- The main reason for establishing free private cities is to retain taxpayers and prevent them from leaving due to limited freedom and excessive regulations.
- Having a few dropouts from the system would cause limited damage compared to a wrong system affecting a larger population.
- The current situation can be seen as a form of desperation, similar to what happened in the Soviet Union. However, if only small-scale cities are involved in experimental activities with volunteers, the impact is limited.
- There is a class of people behaving more feudalistic as they see themselves losing power. This behavior has limited damage on the rest of the world and themselves.
01:31:27 Totalitarianism and Control
In this section, the speaker discusses how governments are becoming more totalitarian and their attempts to control information.
Increasing Totalitarianism
- Governments are becoming more totalitarian by attempting to censor or control the internet.
- This trend is not new but rather a continuation of historical patterns where different groups gain power and try to exert control.
- Currently, there are only 10 companies in the world with over one million employees, with Walmart being the only one with two million. This concentration of power raises concerns about planned development.
01:31:59 Lessons from History
In this section, the speaker draws lessons from history regarding societal decline and service-oriented models.
Lessons from Roman Empire’s Decline
- During the end phase of the Roman Empire, there were debates about whether it was a catastrophe or not. Some historians argue that smaller administrative units were more successful.
- The decline of big cities like Rome and Cologne led to a downfall, with people leaving and services deteriorating.
- The quality of materials and services also declined during this period.
- The future of states lies in becoming service providers rather than demigods. Treating people as customers and focusing on their needs is crucial for survival.
01:32:17 Transitioning from Current States
In this section, the speaker discusses the transition from current states to new models.
Transition Challenges
- Transitioning from current states to new models is not a smooth process, despite claims that it is.
- Historical examples, such as the decline of Rome, show that states can experience significant declines in population and influence over time.
- It is important for states to adapt and become more service-oriented to survive.
01:32:58 Dark Ages After Roman Empire
In this section, the speaker discusses the dark ages after the fall of the Roman Empire and emphasizes the need for states to evolve into service providers.
Dark Ages After Roman Empire
- The dark ages after the fall of the Roman Empire were not a myth but a real historical period characterized by societal decline.
- Historical and archaeological sources provide evidence of this decline.
- States must adopt service-oriented models where people are treated as customers rather than subjects.
01:33:44 Lack of New Frontiers
In this section, the speaker discusses how lack of new frontiers affects societal development.
Lack of New Frontiers
- In ancient times, there were frontiers like walls or natural boundaries that limited expansion. Today, there are no new frontiers like space or sea exploration.
- Lack of new frontiers may lead to stagnation or boredom among people who seek new experiences and challenges.
01:33:52 Future Possibilities
In this section, the speaker discusses the potential for future developments in space exploration.
Future Possibilities
- The speaker mentions that space exploration could be a potential frontier for future development.
- Further discussions on the topic are anticipated.
Note: The transcript provided does not cover the entire video.
01:34:15 The Future of Settling the Universe
In this section, the speaker discusses the potential strategies and opportunities for settling the universe and creating free societies. They mention the existence of livable planets and the need for new models to maintain a high standard of civilization.
Strategies for Mitigating Challenges in Settling the Universe
- 01:34:15 The speaker suggests that one strategy is to focus on better systems of living together, rather than catering to specific religions or beliefs.
- 01:34:20 They mention “billars,” which were self-subsidized farms with walls around them where wealthy individuals could create their own economies.
- 01:34:48 The speaker highlights the importance of exploring new frontiers and creating free societies, similar to how people ventured over oceans in the past without knowing what was on the other side.
The Evolution of Settlement and Potential Challenges
- 01:35:01 The concept of “flag theory” is mentioned, which involves using multiple countries for residency and moving between them.
- 01:35:12 While temporary solutions like flag theory exist, there is a need for long-term settlement options due to potential issues with changing rules in states.
- 01:35:30 Private cities are discussed as safe havens with stable rules that can provide a way out during times of crisis or devolution.
Free Cities as New Models for Civilization
- 01:36:04 The speaker emphasizes that free cities can be a solution to maintain a high standard of civilization while requiring only a certain amount of land and several thousand people.
- 01:36:29 They mention examples such as Monaco, Liechtenstein, Montenegro, and Channel Islands as existing opportunities for settlement.
- 01:36:42 The speaker suggests that the downfall of Western society may accelerate the need for new models like free cities to address current crises and problems.
01:17:50 The Potential for Livable Planets
In this section, the speaker discusses the statistical likelihood of there being livable planets in the universe and the potential for settling on these planets.
- 01:17:50 The speaker mentions that statistically, there is a high probability of there being livable planets in the universe.
- 01:18:15 They express their belief that settling the universe is the future of mankind, although they acknowledge uncertainty about when it will happen.
- 01:19:51 The speaker highlights the necessity of new models and settlements to maintain a high standard of civilization as current systems face challenges.
Note: Timestamps are approximate and may vary slightly.
01:21:04 The Fall of the Roman Empire and Current Projects
In this section, the speaker discusses the differences between the fall of the Roman Empire and the current situation. They also mention ongoing projects related to creating free cities.
Differences from the Fall of the Roman Empire
- The current situation is different from when the Roman Empire was declining.
- There are more Western and industrialized countries now, not all going down at the same time.
- The internet has connected people globally, allowing for quicker learning and association.
Ongoing Projects for Free Cities
- The speaker mentions that there are ongoing projects related to creating free cities.
- They refer to a directory of the Free Cities Foundation where some projects can be found.
- One interesting development mentioned is in Channel Islands, which resembles an individual’s ability to solve problems faster than larger outcomes.
01:21:23 Transitioning to New Systems and Political Entities
This section focuses on transitioning to new systems and political entities in today’s world.
- Comparing to Roman times, there are many more political entities now that create arbitrage options.
- With better connectivity and quicker learning, it becomes easier to adapt and associate with new systems.
- The speaker mentions a strategy called “Teapolis” where they reach out to several governments simultaneously to mitigate political risk.
01:21:47 Future Projects and Smooth Transition
Here, future projects related to Teapolis are discussed along with a smooth transition process.
- While not disclosing current projects for safety reasons, the speaker mentions upcoming projects in the next three to five years.
- Teapolis aims to create international cities based on the free private city model, adapting them according to local situations.
- A slow draining of power from the state is seen as the smoothest and most realistic transition.
- Being a resident of an international city provides additional advantages and the ability to easily move to another international city.
01:23:20 Deterioration of the Roman Empire
This section delves into the deterioration of the Roman Empire and its transition from a republic to a dictatorship.
- The Roman Empire started as a successful republic where only taxpayers who defended the country had voting rights.
- Over time, it deteriorated into a dictatorship, with big kings hiring other people for military service.
- The empires failed to realize what was happening, leading to its downfall.
01:37:17 Failed Project in Africa and Adapting Structures
Here, the speaker discusses a failed project in Africa and adapting structures based on host nations’ requirements.
- The speaker mentions a failed project in Africa that lasted two years due to changes in government leadership.
- They highlight their focus on upcoming projects within three to five years, following Teapolis’ new strategy.
- Adapting structures based on what host nations want allows for smoother transitions and greater acceptance.
01:38:10 Mitigating Political Risk and International City Concept
This section focuses on mitigating political risk and introducing the concept of an international city by Teapolis.
- Teapolis aims to reach out to several governments simultaneously to mitigate political risk.
- The goal is to create an international city based on the free private city model, adapting it according to local situations.
- By having more international cities, individuals can easily move between them, providing additional advantages similar to ancient leagues.
01:39:00 Downfall of the Roman Empire and Similar Models
This section explores the downfall of the Roman Empire and mentions similar models in different regions.
- The speaker refers to books they have read about the downfall of the Roman Empire, including Gibbon’s work.
- They mention that Africa and Central America could be potential hotspots for similar models.
- Bitcoin City and innovative governments like El Salvador are also mentioned as potential examples.
01:39:25 Challenges in Europe for Free City Projects
Here, challenges related to free city projects in Europe are discussed.
- The European Union does not allow for special economic zones or countries seeking membership to create such projects.
- It is challenging to get things done in Europe due to these restrictions, making it currently unfavorable for free city initiatives.
01:40:19 The Establishment of Special Economic Zones
This section discusses the establishment of special economic zones in the UK after Brexit, which are seen as a way to keep the people happy but may not be effective in the long run.
Special Economic Zones as Bread and Circuses
- The UK established 10 special economic zones after Brexit.
- These zones are seen as bread and circuses, aimed at keeping the people happy.
- However, they lack innovation and have been tried before without success.
Parallels with Early Christianity
- The speaker mentions parallels between early Christianity and the establishment of special economic zones.
- In the first 400 years, Christianity was focused on praying for the end of the world and had no incentive to improve their well-being.
- Similarly, special economic zones may not lead to significant changes or improvements.
01:25:03 Waiting for the End
This section briefly touches upon how waiting for an impending end can affect societies.
Waiting for the End in Early Christianity
- Early Christians believed that the world would come to an end soon.
- This belief influenced their actions and mindset during that time.
01:40:47 View on Brexit
The speaker shares their view on Brexit, considering it a net positive despite short-term disadvantages.
Net Positive Outcome
- The speaker views Brexit as leaving an empire before its decline.
- While there may be short-term costs, they believe it is ultimately a good thing.
- They also anticipate other countries following suit.
01:41:16 Free Cities and Nihilism
This section discusses free cities and draws parallels with nihilism in ancient times.
Free Cities and Cults
- The concept of free cities is mentioned, but its applicability to the current situation is unclear.
- The speaker mentions that some cults in ancient times were nihilistic, similar to certain attitudes today.
01:41:35 Downfall of the Roman Empire
This section explores parallels between the downfall of the Roman Empire and current events.
Parallels with the Roman Empire
- The speaker suggests that studying the downfall of the Roman Empire reveals many parallels with today’s world.
- They mention unsuccessful attempts to make designated special economic zones more autonomous.
01:41:50 Natural Life Cycle of an Empire
This section discusses the natural life cycle of an empire and why good times don’t necessarily create good people.
Life Cycle of an Empire
- The speaker ponders whether they are discussing the natural life cycle of an empire or something else.
- They question why empires decline and why good times don’t always lead to good people.
01:42:01 Sabbatical and Hypothetical Scenarios
This section explores hypothetical scenarios related to taking a sabbatical and creating a perfect system.
Sabbatical and Perfect System
- The speaker asks what they would do if they took a sabbatical or had unlimited resources for a year.
- They discuss how a perfect system where everyone is wealthy can lead to crazy ideas.
- They also mention the political cycle and how reasonable people come into power after a crisis.
01:42:26 Negotiating with Government
This section delves into negotiating with governments when establishing free cities.
Using Money as Collateral
- The speaker suggests using money as collateral when negotiating with the government to establish a free city.
- They believe that having a significant amount of money in the background strengthens their negotiating position.
01:26:58 Taking from Others
This section discusses how some groups take advantage of the state to increase their standard of living at the expense of others.
Taking Advantage of the State
- The speaker mentions that some groups exploit the state to take from others and improve their own lives.
- However, most people feel bad about taking without permission or payment.
01:42:38 Starting a New Free City
This section explores starting a new free city and using money as leverage during negotiations with governments.
Using Money as Leverage
- The speaker suggests starting a new free city with a significant amount of money as leverage during negotiations with the government.
- They believe that alone, having substantial funds can be a strong argument when dealing with governments.
01:27:33 The Problem with Redistribution
This section discusses the issue of redistribution and how it leads to a decrease in productivity and an increase in dependency on the state.
The Cycle of Redistribution
- When an entity has the power to redistribute wealth, more people leave the productive sector and rely on redistribution.
- Over time, this leads to a decrease in the number of people creating wealth and an increase in dependency on the state.
- Eventually, the state runs out of money and resorts to printing more money, which further devalues currency.
01:28:16 Increasing Taxes and Printing Money
This section explores the consequences of increasing taxes and resorting to printing money as a means of funding government programs.
The Laffer Curve and Printing Money
- Increasing taxes can only go up to a certain point before it becomes counterproductive.
- When the state runs out of funds, it often resorts to printing money, which leads to inflation.
- By buying its own bonds, the state essentially prints money, further exacerbating financial issues.
01:28:48 The Need for Reforms
This section highlights the importance of implementing reforms when facing insolvency.
Insolvency and Reforms
- Insolvency is inevitable if proper measures are not taken.
- Reforms are necessary to address financial issues effectively.
- Elon Musk’s stance on holding his ground against increasing taxes is admirable.
01:29:08 Bilateral Contracts as a Solution
This section proposes bilateral contracts as a solution to prevent wealth redistribution by providing individuals with autonomy over their income.
Bilateral Contracts for Autonomy
- A bilateral contract between individuals and city operators can prevent interference from the state in income distribution.
- This solution aims to address the problem of a powerful entity, like the state, taking away wealth from others.
01:43:11 Engaging Billionaires in Change
This section discusses the importance of involving billionaires in advocating for change and their tendency to focus on creating their own cities.
Involving Billionaires for Change
- Engaging billionaires is crucial for driving change.
- Many billionaires are interested in creating their own cities but often lack legal autonomy.
- Increasing awareness about the benefits of legal autonomy can encourage more billionaires to support change.
01:43:29 Elon Musk’s Libertarian Stance
This section explores Elon Musk’s evolving stance towards libertarian principles and his defense of free speech.
Elon Musk’s Libertarian Leanings
- Elon Musk is seen as morphing into a libertarian figure.
- He defends free speech and challenges censorship by state-funded NGOs.
- His principles align with the direction of libertarianism.
01:43:53 Misinformation and Mainstream Media
This section highlights how mainstream media and state authorities have been sources of misinformation during events like COVID, contrasting with Elon Musk’s approach.
Misinformation from Mainstream Media
- Most misinformation during events like COVID originates from mainstream media and state authorities.
- Elon Musk stands out by challenging this narrative and holding his ground against it.
01:44:19 Trusting Elon Musk’s Principles
This section emphasizes trust in Elon Musk’s principles despite potential concerns about Tesla’s valuation.
Trusting Elon Musk’s Principles
- While Tesla may be overvalued, trusting Elon Musk’s principles is important.
- Peter Thiel advises not to cope with or trust Elon, but his principles and actions suggest otherwise.
- Elon Musk’s commitment to walking the talk is admirable.
01:44:45 Elon Musk and the Free Cities Model
This section highlights Elon Musk’s potential role as a proponent of the free cities model, given his ambitions for Mars colonization.
Elon Musk and Free Cities
- Elon Musk’s involvement in Mars colonization positions him as a significant advocate for the free cities model.
- Mars represents a new frontier that requires innovative governance models.
- His presence could be instrumental in promoting the concept of free cities.
01:45:09 Taking Away State Power
This section discusses the importance of limiting state power, particularly its ability to take from others through taxation.
Limiting State Power
- It is crucial to remove the state’s authority to take from others through taxation.
- The idea is to establish maximum annual fees based on international agreements rather than allowing unilateral changes by the state.
01:45:28 Overcoming Legislative Inefficiencies
This section explores how legislative bodies create inefficiencies through constant lawmaking and increasing taxes.
Legislative Inefficiencies
- Legislative bodies tend to create new laws and increase taxes over time, leading to inefficiencies.
- Overcoming these inefficiencies requires consistent and plausible ideas that challenge existing systems.
01:45:34 Consistency and Plausibility of Ideas
This section emphasizes the importance of consistent and plausible ideas in driving change despite resistance from established systems.
Consistency and Plausibility in Ideas
- Consistent and plausible ideas have a higher chance of gaining acceptance over time.
- Despite resistance from established systems, these ideas can eventually prevail.
01:46:00 The Treaty of Tordesillas and the Distribution of Power
This section discusses the Treaty of Tordesillas and how Spain and Portugal divided their roles in the exploration and colonization of new territories. It also mentions restrictions on movement during that time.
The Treaty of Tordesillas
- 01:46:13 The Treaty of Tordesillas was an agreement between Spain and Portugal to divide their roles in exploration and colonization.
- 01:46:24 People were moving away from the Roman Empire, leading to a sense of desperation.
- 01:46:32 The main reason for dividing territories was to retain taxpayers.
- 01:46:49 There is a comparison between the desperation during Roman times and current times.
Feudalistic Behavior and Totalitarianism
- 01:46:44 People sought to start their own colonies or communities for more freedom.
- 01:46:56 There is concern about future generations facing similar situations.
- 01:47:16 Comparisons are made between the fall of the Roman Empire and current societal challenges.
- 01:47:32 Some historians claim that there were smooth transitions after the fall of empires, but this is disputed.
Free Cities as a Solution
- 01:47:45 Examples are given where cities declined due to hostile governments or other factors.
- 01:47:59 Competition among countries can lead to positive outcomes.
- 01:48:18 The focus now is on finding solutions for societal challenges.
01:47:32 Lessons from History: Fall of Empires
This section explores historical examples, such as the fall of the Roman Empire, to draw lessons about societal decline and the need for solutions.
Societal Decline and Downfall
- 01:47:52 The fall of empires is compared to the current situation.
- 01:48:11 The decline of cities, starvation, and societal challenges are mentioned.
- 01:48:30 Examples from the East Block in 1990 are given as evidence of societal decline.
Creating a New World
- 01:48:37 The focus is on creating a new world and finding solutions.
- 01:48:43 The importance of competition among countries is highlighted.
- 01:47:59 Historical examples show that societies can recover and rebuild.
01:48:30 Testimony of Societal Change
This section emphasizes the witness of societal change and draws parallels between past events and the present.
Witnessing Societal Change
- 01:48:37 Personal testimony is given about witnessing societal change.
- 01:47:16 Comparisons are made between historical events like the fall of Rome and recent changes.
- 01:48:18 Lessons from history can guide us in finding solutions to current challenges.
01:48:55 The Traumatic Change in Rome
This section discusses the significant changes that occurred in Rome and the need to adapt and find solutions for the future.
The Need for Change
- Rome experienced a traumatic change, which did not happen overnight but had a profound impact.
- In the past, life in Rome was comfortable with good times and beautiful buildings, but there was no need for change.
- The situation changed, and now there is a need to think about and work towards finding solutions.
Presenting Solutions
- It is satisfying to present solutions, even if they are not fully developed or perfect.
- These solutions can serve as attempts or strategies for future generations to build upon.
- It is essential to learn from history and understand what strategies were effective in mitigating challenges.
Adapting to New Technologies
- Just like Bitcoin is known from birth by people born today, new technologies shape the mindset of future generations.
- Being adaptable and open-minded allows us to embrace new technologies and navigate changing circumstances effectively.
01:49:42 Strategies Going Forward
This section explores the best strategies for moving forward amidst uncertainties and challenges.
Mobility and Flag Theory
- Today, individuals have more options and mobility compared to the past.
- Utilizing flag theory allows individuals to establish residency in multiple countries, providing flexibility.
Temporary Solutions
- Many current regulations imposed by nation-states will eventually come to an end.
- However, these temporary solutions do not address the underlying problems of constantly changing rules.
Creating Safe Havens
- Establishing free private cities as safe havens can provide stability amidst uncertain political landscapes.
- These cities would operate under clear rules that are not subject to sudden changes by governments.
Government as a Service
- A voluntary decision-making system, where government functions as a service, can be a viable solution.
- This approach ensures that the rules and services provided by the government are efficient and meet the needs of the residents.
01:50:33 Conclusion
The conclusion emphasizes the importance of creating safe havens and finding innovative solutions for a better future.
- Creating safe havens with stable rules is crucial to avoid repeating past systems or falling into dictatorships.
- It is essential to embrace new ideas and establish systems that are suitable for the 21st century.
- By leaving behind outdated systems and focusing on innovative solutions, we can create a better future.