Finally, Back to Civilizations’ Crossroads

I’ll be on the plane to Istanbul when you read this. Were you forwarded this email? [Sign-up to Rude Awakening here.]( [The Rude Awakening] September 13, 2022 [WEBSITE]( | [UNSUBSCRIBE]( Finally, Back to Civilizations’ Crossroads - I’m attending Hans-Hermann Hoppe’s Property and Freedom Society Conference in Bodrum, Turkey. - But first, I make a quick pitstop in Istanbul to reunite with some old friends. - Before I take off, I’m staying for a night in Milan. I’ll present some ideas for you here. Recommended Link [Forget A Bitcoin Halving… What’s Happening On Thursday Could Be Even Bigger!]( [Click here for more...]( Any time a Bitcoin halving takes place, investors have had the chance to make huge gains 100% of the time. After the first Bitcoin halving, Bitcoin went up 7,695% in a year… After the second halving, it went up 2,495% in about a year and a half… And after the most recent halving in 2020, it went up 836% in around a year. But if you’ve missed all of these previous moves, don’t worry… The fourth big opportunity starts just days from now on Thursday. [Click Here For The Urgent Details]( Sean Ring Editor, Rude Awakening Happy Tuesday! I’ve written this from my hotel room at Milan’s airport. After I’m done, I’ll sleep, roll out of bed, and get on the plane. That’s the advantage of staying at an airport hotel. I can’t wait to get to Turkey to see many a friend I haven’t seen in at least three years. Some, much longer than that. First, I head to Istanbul to meet Iowa Michael and the Dutch Doctor. We’ll probably open a few bottles of something cheerful there as we walk around the Golden Horn. From there, we head to Bodrum for the [Property and Freedom Society 2022 Annual Meeting](. My first PFS meeting was ten years ago, so I’m excited about the thrill of friendships renewed. There are many good speakers this year, and Bodrum is lovely in the late summer. If you’ve been reading the Rude for a while, you know I quote Professor Hoppe from time to time. In this edition, I will preview five arguments Hoppe uses to quell the leftists’ rage. Some of Hoppe’s Choicest Quotes On the Social Contract No, the state is precisely not the result of a contract! Nobody in his right mind would agree to such an arrangement. There are many documents in my files, but you won’t find any of that kind anywhere. The state is the result of aggressive violence and subjugation. It came into being without any contractual basis, just like a gang of protection racketeers. On Democracy and Communism Yes, of course, democracy, whether direct or indirect, is a form of communism. A majority decides what belongs to me and what belongs to you, and what you or I may or may not do. That has nothing to do with private property and very much with restricting private control, in other words, with common property, which in turn means communism. There is no contract with the state, and there is no legal guarantee of what belongs to us and what is our own untouchable property. There are, for example, income taxes and property taxes, so in the end, what belongs to you as your property? As much as the state decides to leave you untaxed. What can you do with your own land? Whatever the state permits you to do. And we are also not told what price we have to pay to the state for its services. But Then, How Does a Democracy Like Switzerland Work? As far as the particular case of Switzerland is concerned: well, democracy can, at best, function "halfway” in very small, culturally homogeneous communities, i.e., without quickly ending in economic ruin. Where everybody knows everyone else and is aware of their social position, and where there is, therefore, pronounced social control, it is difficult to want to acquire the property of others by "democratic means." Even if this is theoretically possible, social pressure prevents such a thing from happening. Democracy in Switzerland is (still) largely local democracy. Local matters are decided locally, without intervention from "outside" or "above" (from Bern, Brussels, Washington, or New York). Switzerland's relative economic success, in comparison with its large neighboring countries, therefore has little or nothing to do with its direct democracy, but rather with the fact that Swiss democracy is a "small" democracy. This is the secret of Switzerland. Recommended Link [If the Biden Comes for Your Cash – Do THIS!]( [Click here for more...]( In a despicable, under-the-radar move… The government could soon force you to adopt a new “trackable” version of the U.S. dollar… One that eliminates cash… And gives them the power to legally “TURN OFF” your money… Whenever they feel like it… And with ZERO warning! Thankfully, there are 4 easy-to-follow steps you can take RIGHT NOW to protect yourself… And even potentially GROW your wealth no matter what the government does. [Click Here To Learn More]( Is a Bigger State Better? Let me start with the obvious. All small states, like Monaco, Liechtenstein, Andorra, (formerly) Hong Kong, Singapore, and even the relatively large Switzerland, are doing economically better than the larger regions surrounding them. Germany's rise to become a leading cultural and scientific nation in the course of the 19th century - before unification in 1871 - is attributed to its political fragmentation in 39 competing principalities - in contrast to the heavily centralized France, where culture took place in Paris alone, and the rest of the country was characterized by cultural darkness. The small German territories were in intense competition with each other. Everyone wanted to have the best libraries, theaters, and universities. Small states have to implement a low-tax and low-regulation policy, otherwise, their most productive citizens will simply leave. Are Taxes Ever Just? If taxes are theft, then it follows from the point of view of justice that there should be no taxes and therefore no tax policy at all. Government employees and all state dependents, in fact, pay no taxes at all. Rather, all their net income (after taxes) comes from tax revenues, and they are, therefore, not taxpayers but tax consumers who derive their income from resources stolen from other people - the tax producers. The "best" (because it is the lowest) tax is a head (flat) tax, where each person has to pay the same fixed amount in taxes. Since even the poorest person must be able to pay this amount, such a tax must be very low. Still, even a flat tax is and remains theft, and nothing about theft is fair. One important step would be if employers stopped collecting wage taxes on behalf of the state. Companies should say: "We are not doing this work for you. If you want the taxes, go get them yourself." If everyone had to personally pay their taxes at the end of the year, the resistance would be much higher than it is now. Do Free Trade and Freedom of Movement Go Together? The phenomena of trade and immigration differ in fundamental ways. Goods and services cannot be transported from place to place unless the sender and receiver agree, while someone can move from one place to another even if nobody else wishes him or her to do so. Free immigration can thus become forced integration for the existing population. In a society where land is fully privatized, the problem of unwanted immigration does not arise. While this is not yet the case, the solution is to decentralize immigration policy from the federal government to states, counties, villages, cities, and city blocks. If the government is going to allow immigration, it should at least ensure that immigrants receive an invitation from a host ("guarantor principle"). This host must then assume full liability during his or her visit. Finally, the more free trade exists, the less incentive there is to emigrate. Wrap Up I hope you enjoyed that little preview of why I like Hoppe’s philosophy so much. It’s based on private property, peaceful trade, and self-ownership. And though it runs against the grain of what passes for “conventional wisdom” these days, it answers intuitive questions like, “Why are we doing this, and how can we do it differently?” I’ll be writing from Turkey until next Tuesday. I’ll give you snapshots of the conference and its speeches. Have a great day ahead! All the best, Sean Ring Editor, Rude Awakening [ARCHIVE]( | [ABOUT]( | [CONTACT US]( Rude Awakening is committed to protecting and respecting your privacy. We do not rent or share your email address. 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