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A comment on MasterCard to open up network to cryptocurrencies. Parent comment

Re:MasterCard to open up network to cryptocurrencies by __MatrixMan__ on Friday February 12, 2021 @09:10AM (#26113784)
That's right, but what's new about this time is that the "how bad things have to get before we rethink laws and governance"-threshold had changed, as has the "how efficient of a government we'll accept before we stop iterating"-threshold.

Governments run themselves but until recently, economies didn't. Now that there are two memes (besides violence) that are each independently capable of mediating coersion on a global scale, we can play them against each other and select for the one we like best.

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Re:MasterCard to open up network to cryptocurrencies by gbear605 on Friday February 12, 2021 @09:31AM (#26113987)
Governments have always (always) been involved in economies. Rome imported hundreds of tons of grain a year and gave them out free to its citizens. Hammurabi’s code mandated fixed medical payments and regulated professions. Don’t get me started on China. And taxation has been around as long as there has been agriculture, although it’s much better nowadays since the taxman won’t come in and tax all the food you own just before winter, leaving you to starve.
[ Parent | on HN ]