Cypherpunks of the world unite!

Michael Wilson <0005514706@mcimail.com>:
> There is a good reason why revolutionaries in very poor nations tend to 
> espouse socialist or communist rhetoric--those are political systems that can 
> raise the quality of life considerably and immediately, 

I see governments as representing the collective will of society, responsible 
for only those things that are best achieved through everyone's cooperation.
It is now fashionable to talk about the Asian way -- subjugating freedom to
prosperity. This is of course bunkum, freedom is an ideal and is universal. The
way to get to that may differ from society to society, particularly, as Michael
says, in poor nations. It isn't necessary to have a strong state to survive;
India, with a similar standard of living in 1950, has been democratic with
more or less regular, free and fair elections. Contrary to popular perception,
India has been no more 'socialist' than many European countries such as France,
with stockmarkets and large state-owned enterprises. It is naturally more
difficult to control crime or rising population here than in China, where petty
thieves and corrupt officials are frequently executed.

Freedom is a right equally applicable everywhere, whatever the political, social
or economic situation. Any technology that promotes it is important for the
whole world.

Cypherpunks of the world unite! You have nothing to lose but your escrowed 
keychains!


-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
Rishab Aiyer Ghosh             "Clean the air! clean the sky! wash the wind!
rishab@dxm.ernet.in                   take stone from stone and wash them..."
Voice/Fax/Data +91 11 6853410  
Voicemail +91 11 3760335                 H 34C Saket, New Delhi 110017, INDIA

C'punks,

On Sat, 2 Jul 1994 Rishab wrote:

> . . .
> It is now fashionable to talk about the Asian way -- subjugating freedom to
> prosperity. This is of course bunkum, freedom is an ideal and is universal.
> . . .

Ever been to Singapore?  That is *exactly* the social contract into which
the Singaporeans have entered.  When I was there, I tried to give a copy
of PGP to the young man who sold and set up our computer equipment.  He
turned it down.  He told me he didn't need that kind of privacy for his
messages or files.  He couldn't understand why he would want encryption
that would keep the government from reading his data.  He seemed truly 
mystified.  It gave me the willies.


 S a n d y