Comments on: Seven Predictions for the Coming Age of Micronations http://www.futuristspeaker.com/2009/04/seven-predictions-and-the-coming-age-of-micronations/ Challenging your thinking, pushing your imagination, creating the future Tue, 07 Feb 2012 11:41:44 -0800 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.8.4 hourly 1 By: Sean French http://www.futuristspeaker.com/2009/04/seven-predictions-and-the-coming-age-of-micronations/comment-page-1/#comment-19556 Sean French Mon, 21 Nov 2011 16:05:27 +0000 http://www.futuristspeaker.com/?p=225#comment-19556 I really enjoyed reading this interesting article about island countries. I agree that large companies like Google (used in your example) could well buy such islands in future and run them along similar lines to those you outline. As long as they operate fairly and with a social conscience then I could see them being a positive thing. We have so much legislation and red tape even here in the UK, that an island country could circumvent these restrictions for the good of the many. S French I really enjoyed reading this interesting article about island countries. I agree that large companies like Google (used in your example) could well buy such islands in future and run them along similar lines to those you outline. As long as they operate fairly and with a social conscience then I could see them being a positive thing. We have so much legislation and red tape even here in the UK, that an island country could circumvent these restrictions for the good of the many. S French

]]> By: Laurie Hathorn http://www.futuristspeaker.com/2009/04/seven-predictions-and-the-coming-age-of-micronations/comment-page-1/#comment-7905 Laurie Hathorn Sat, 13 Nov 2010 14:56:29 +0000 http://www.futuristspeaker.com/?p=225#comment-7905 Thanks for sharing this. I would not have thought of the possibilities without your example of Google's island and how the impact of a the practices from the island could spread beyond its borders and potentially change something as significant as lending policies. Thanks for sharing this. I would not have thought of the possibilities without your example of Google’s island and how the impact of a the practices from the island could spread beyond its borders and potentially change something as significant as lending policies.

]]> By: GeminiMan http://www.futuristspeaker.com/2009/04/seven-predictions-and-the-coming-age-of-micronations/comment-page-1/#comment-5394 GeminiMan Mon, 02 Aug 2010 08:30:19 +0000 http://www.futuristspeaker.com/?p=225#comment-5394 Your observations are brilliant and, yes, ahead of their time. There are several Pacific nations with poor fiscal situations that could easily raise billions of dollars by selling off a few of their many small islands as independent countries. Or, even better, a nation like Tonga could market a few islands as Kingdoms and then raise their own King to the status of Emperor. Thereby allowing them to retain some control over the islands they sell, but still allowing some super-rich person to become a legitimate King. Your observations are brilliant and, yes, ahead of their time.

There are several Pacific nations with poor fiscal situations that could easily raise billions of dollars by selling off a few of their many small islands as independent countries. Or, even better, a nation like Tonga could market a few islands as Kingdoms and then raise their own King to the status of Emperor. Thereby allowing them to retain some control over the islands they sell, but still allowing some super-rich person to become a legitimate King.

]]> By: Michael Strong http://www.futuristspeaker.com/2009/04/seven-predictions-and-the-coming-age-of-micronations/comment-page-1/#comment-2459 Michael Strong Thu, 07 May 2009 13:27:17 +0000 http://www.futuristspeaker.com/?p=225#comment-2459 Fantastic article, thanks, Mark, for pointing this out to me. Thomas, check out my analogous comment on free zones at "Let a Thousand Nations Bloom," http://athousandnations.com/2009/04/10/free-zones-as-an-additional-option-for-the-cambrian-explosion-in-government/ Fantastic article, thanks, Mark, for pointing this out to me. Thomas, check out my analogous comment on free zones at “Let a Thousand Nations Bloom,”

http://athousandnations.com/2009/04/10/free-zones-as-an-additional-option-for-the-cambrian-explosion-in-government/

]]> By: digestif | may 1 http://www.futuristspeaker.com/2009/04/seven-predictions-and-the-coming-age-of-micronations/comment-page-1/#comment-2428 digestif | may 1 Wed, 06 May 2009 05:10:19 +0000 http://www.futuristspeaker.com/?p=225#comment-2428 [...] Seven Predictions for the Coming Age of Micronations—FuturistSpeaker.com A newly formed island with no indigenous people and no existing structures or government becomes a perfect laboratory for experimentation. Much like an artist who positions a freshly gessoed canvas onto an easel, the inhabitants of an experimental nation-state will, through trial and error, have an opportunity to create new governmental systems from scratch. Many experiments will fail, and will have to fail in the real world, unlike the modeling being done in virtual worlds. These island countries will serve as real-world test sites for tinkering with governmental systems on a small scale. Unleashing the power of experimentation this way will give us a sense of humanity’s true potential. [...] [...] Seven Predictions for the Coming Age of Micronations—FuturistSpeaker.com A newly formed island with no indigenous people and no existing structures or government becomes a perfect laboratory for experimentation. Much like an artist who positions a freshly gessoed canvas onto an easel, the inhabitants of an experimental nation-state will, through trial and error, have an opportunity to create new governmental systems from scratch. Many experiments will fail, and will have to fail in the real world, unlike the modeling being done in virtual worlds. These island countries will serve as real-world test sites for tinkering with governmental systems on a small scale. Unleashing the power of experimentation this way will give us a sense of humanity’s true potential. [...]

]]> By: The Link Archipelago « Let A Thousand Nations Bloom http://www.futuristspeaker.com/2009/04/seven-predictions-and-the-coming-age-of-micronations/comment-page-1/#comment-2295 The Link Archipelago « Let A Thousand Nations Bloom Mon, 27 Apr 2009 04:48:01 +0000 http://www.futuristspeaker.com/?p=225#comment-2295 [...] the cover story for the May-June cover story for The Futurist Magazine, Thomas Frey dubs nation-building the new [...] [...] the cover story for the May-June cover story for The Futurist Magazine, Thomas Frey dubs nation-building the new [...]

]]> By: Openworld http://www.futuristspeaker.com/2009/04/seven-predictions-and-the-coming-age-of-micronations/comment-page-1/#comment-2290 Openworld Sat, 25 Apr 2009 23:50:59 +0000 http://www.futuristspeaker.com/?p=225#comment-2290 (2nd try for comment) Your thinking parallels what http://www.athousandnations.com and http://www.seasteading.org have been formed to promote -- I hope you'll consider a cross-posting of this article there. In the current issue of Foreign Policy, a contributor to "The Next Big Thing" foresees the re-emergence of a Hanseatic League of free cities, free zones, and micronations as great powers find it more difficult to wield hard power. The growth of free cities/free zones/micronations will accelerate if they use the Internet to help people in areas with failing states gain greater access online learning, jobs, and microloans/microgrants. This will help create a "base of the pyramid" constituency for the new free areas. Openworld (http://www.openworld.com) has been offering microvouchers and online work-study projects in impoverished regions as a precursor for such a system. As free communities emerge, they can go beyond extending new eLearning, eHealthcare, and microfinance opportunities to those whose lives are now impoverished by misrule. After the example of Lubeck and Hamburg in the first Hanseatic era, some free zones or micronations (Singapore?) may recognize the opportunity to promote the emergence of transnational bodies that offer eGovernment and arbitration systems for transparent governance in non-imperial ways. Look forward to more of your articles and posts on these opportunities! (2nd try for comment)

Your thinking parallels what http://www.athousandnations.com and http://www.seasteading.org have been formed to promote — I hope you’ll consider a cross-posting of this article there.

In the current issue of Foreign Policy, a contributor to “The Next Big Thing” foresees the re-emergence of a Hanseatic League of free cities, free zones, and micronations as great powers find it more difficult to wield hard power.

The growth of free cities/free zones/micronations will accelerate if they use the Internet to help people in areas with failing states gain greater access online learning, jobs, and microloans/microgrants. This will help create a “base of the pyramid” constituency for the new free areas. Openworld (http://www.openworld.com) has been offering microvouchers and online work-study projects in impoverished regions as a precursor for such a system.

As free communities emerge, they can go beyond extending new eLearning, eHealthcare, and microfinance opportunities to those whose lives are now impoverished by misrule. After the example of Lubeck and Hamburg in the first Hanseatic era, some free zones or micronations (Singapore?) may recognize the opportunity to promote the emergence of transnational bodies that offer eGovernment and arbitration systems for transparent governance in non-imperial ways.

Look forward to more of your articles and posts on these opportunities!

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