80 lines
3.8 KiB
Plaintext
80 lines
3.8 KiB
Plaintext
|
The Crypto Anarchist Manifesto
|
|||
|
|
|
|||
|
|
Timothy C. May
|
|||
|
|
tcmay@netcom.com
|
|||
|
|
|
|||
|
|
|
|||
|
|
A specter is haunting the modern world, the specter of crypto
|
|||
|
|
anarchy.
|
|||
|
|
|
|||
|
|
Computer technology is on the verge of providing the ability for
|
|||
|
|
individuals and groups to communicate and interact with each other
|
|||
|
|
in a totally anonymous manner. Two persons may exchange
|
|||
|
|
messages, conduct business, and negotiate electronic contracts
|
|||
|
|
without ever knowing the True Name, or legal identity, of the other.
|
|||
|
|
Interactions over networks will be untraceable, via extensive re-
|
|||
|
|
routing of encrypted packets and tamper-proof boxes which
|
|||
|
|
implement cryptographic protocols with nearly perfect assurance
|
|||
|
|
against any tampering. Reputations will be of central importance, far
|
|||
|
|
more important in dealings than even the credit ratings of today.
|
|||
|
|
These developments will alter completely the nature of government
|
|||
|
|
regulation, the ability to tax and control economic interactions, the
|
|||
|
|
ability to keep information secret, and will even alter the nature of
|
|||
|
|
trust and reputation.
|
|||
|
|
|
|||
|
|
The technology for this revolution--and it surely will be both a social
|
|||
|
|
and economic revolution--has existed in theory for the past decade.
|
|||
|
|
The methods are based upon public-key encryption, zero-knowledge
|
|||
|
|
interactive proof systems, and various software protocols for
|
|||
|
|
interaction, authentication, and verification. The focus has until now
|
|||
|
|
been on academic conferences in Europe and the U.S., conferences
|
|||
|
|
monitored closely by the National Security Agency. But only recently
|
|||
|
|
have computer networks and personal computers attained sufficient
|
|||
|
|
speed to make the ideas practically realizable. And the next ten
|
|||
|
|
years will bring enough additional speed to make the ideas
|
|||
|
|
economically feasible and essentially unstoppable. High-speed
|
|||
|
|
networks, ISDN, tamper-proof boxes, smart cards, satellites, Ku-band
|
|||
|
|
transmitters, multi-MIPS personal computers, and encryption chips
|
|||
|
|
now under development will be some of the enabling technologies.
|
|||
|
|
|
|||
|
|
The State will of course try to slow or halt the spread of this
|
|||
|
|
technology, citing national security concerns, use of the technology
|
|||
|
|
by drug dealers and tax evaders, and fears of societal disintegration.
|
|||
|
|
Many of these concerns will be valid; crypto anarchy will allow
|
|||
|
|
national secrets to be trade freely and will allow illicit and stolen
|
|||
|
|
materials to be traded. An anonymous computerized market will
|
|||
|
|
even make possible abhorrent markets for assassinations and
|
|||
|
|
extortion. Various criminal and foreign elements will be active users
|
|||
|
|
of CryptoNet. But this will not halt the spread of crypto anarchy.
|
|||
|
|
|
|||
|
|
Just as the technology of printing altered and reduced the power of
|
|||
|
|
medieval guilds and the social power structure, so too will
|
|||
|
|
cryptologic methods fundamentally alter the nature of corporations
|
|||
|
|
and of government interference in economic transactions. Combined
|
|||
|
|
with emerging information markets, crypto anarchy will create a
|
|||
|
|
liquid market for any and all material which can be put into words
|
|||
|
|
and pictures. And just as a seemingly minor invention like barbed
|
|||
|
|
wire made possible the fencing-off of vast ranches and farms, thus
|
|||
|
|
altering forever the concepts of land and property rights in the
|
|||
|
|
frontier West, so too will the seemingly minor discovery out of an
|
|||
|
|
arcane branch of mathematics come to be the wire clippers which
|
|||
|
|
dismantle the barbed wire around intellectual property.
|
|||
|
|
|
|||
|
|
Arise, you have nothing to lose but your barbed wire fences!
|
|||
|
|
|
|||
|
|
|
|||
|
|
--
|
|||
|
|
..........................................................................
|
|||
|
|
Timothy C. May | Crypto Anarchy: encryption, digital money,
|
|||
|
|
tcmay@netcom.com | anonymous networks, digital pseudonyms, zero
|
|||
|
|
408-688-5409 | knowledge, reputations, information markets,
|
|||
|
|
W.A.S.T.E.: Aptos, CA | black markets, collapse of governments.
|
|||
|
|
Higher Power: 2^756839 | PGP Public Key: by arrangement.
|
|||
|
|
|
|||
|
|
|
|||
|
|
|
|||
|
|
|
|||
|
|
|
|||
|
|
|
|||
|
|
|
|||
|
|
|