Hacker News Reader

Comment by ivanmontillam | Hacker News Reader

I'm not condoning crime, but do you recognize that changing laws in an authoritarian state is next to impossible right?

Lives lost in Venezuela doing a serious attempt at changing. Do you prefer blood shed on streets?

I think that allowing people to protect themselves from authoritarian governments is often a good thing. I also think it is important to understand that if this is the killer app then we need to be honest about what it is and how that affects people in states that are more just. The benefits to those suffering in Venezuela cannot be separated from the harms done to people in non-authoritarian states.

Tax evasion is not its killer app, but I reckon cryptocurrencies can be misused that way.

Tax evasion is possible with or without mechanism. Real world example in Argentina: the way most landlords evade taxes is by charging tenants in cash. They expect you to go to their place with an envelope full of 1000's ARS banknotes.

So far I've not seen rents paid in cryptocurrency, but by extension, would you say cash's killer app is tax evasion indeed?

Yes, cash's killer app is crime, too, which is probably why governments like China don't want it.

People making the argument that payments are hard to trace with crypto & that's the reason it should be banned or ignored are 1) ignorant because crypto transactions are easier to trace than cash and 2) making a dangerous argument against cash for which authoritarians will be thrilled to have support

I'd say crypto is not very good for tax evasion. The immutable record on a blockchain thing may be a pain compared to cash in hand.

Nobody "prefers" it (psychopaths need not apply), but against a regime where literally their prevention method to getting replaced is "bloodshed", what is your suggestion?

To starve the government financially, through mechanisms of tax evasion.

As a very last resource, because again, I do not condone crimes, but: When tyrants rule, it's our human right to disobey.

Would you accept to be subservient to a power structure that doesn't work for you? For the "We The People"? Vote them away yes, given voting is not a deceptive theatrical show like it is in Venezuela. So, what are the other alternatives? Ruling out violence of course.

> To starve the government financially, through mechanisms of tax evasion.

I'm curious if this has ever worked before.

I accept that next time might be different, but previous examples would add to your argument.

Some folks in the US have been attempting to starve the beast for approaching half a century now. The only thing they have succeeded in doing is passing on trillions of dollars of debt to their children and grandchildren. They keep trying though.

I think tax evasion won't ever work as mechanism to fight tyrannical governments because it's your neighbor who suffer the lack of funds, not the ruling class.

Reply on news.ycombinator.com