The way I see it, nobody should have a monopoly on a country's natural resources. I think governance should be local, transparent, and verifiable: communal rights, on-chain auditable royalties, and direct dividends (via Lightning⚡) to every resident.
The state, minimal: just enforce contracts and defense. The Alaska Permanent Fund is already an embryo of this: oil royalties, investment, and an annual dividend to every resident ($1,200 in 2026).
What do you all think? I'm interested in hearing other perspectives.
The Alaska dividend is a mess. Governors started withholding dividends a decade ago, despite having no mechanism for even spending those funds.
Even in a case that seemed reasonable to me, it doesn't work either. I'll look into it, thanks for commenting
Norway might be a better example of the idea.
Aaaah, somebody called?? I have lots to say! #1515430
Have lots to say about these topics
#1565551
"Who should control a country's natural resources" is at least a much better posed question than "Who owns the sun"
True, but same topics. In fairness I haven't written any other posts on this book yet, but there's plenty of that convo in there. Lots of notes:
US wealth and power is based upon global resource hegemony that underpins the petrodollar.
https://www.wsj.com/business/energy-oil/trump-administration-in-advanced-talks-for-stake-in-venezuelan-oil-fields-819546d3?
https://archive.ph/ofhpw
U.S. to Take Control of Much of Venezuela’s Proven Oil Reserves
Trump said the agreement would substantially lower gas prices for all Americans
News of the talks caused an outcry among some in Venezuela’s opposition who have been pushing for the U.S. to pressure Rodríguez to hold elections. The Trump administration has played a major role in overseeing Venezuela’s oil industry since ousting Maduro and replacing him with Rodríguez.
“An illegitimate interim government with an illegitimate hydrocarbons law has no legitimacy to strike this unconstitutional deal,” Ricardo Hausmann, a Harvard University economist and former government official in Venezuela, wrote on X. “It will be a fiasco for all involved, starting with [Secretary of State Rubio].”
Venezuela’s constitution says the country’s oil deposits belong to the Venezuelan state and cannot be transferred to another owner—a potential legal obstacle to any deal that would give the U.S. government control of reserves.
Currently the petrodollar emperor TACO Trump claims rights to all the worlds resources.
Might is Right according to TACO Trump.
Fortunately hes outta Interceptors and China will not allow him to build more.
Much to @coffeebadgers chagrin.
Maybe that's the difference between empires and countries: one imposes its model by force, the other just wants its own sovereignty... I'll take the small ones, but better still not to depend on picking, just a system that doesn't need permission from any empire to function is more resilient than one that depends on the goodwill of the stronger one, and around here we know a thing or two about that 🤠
Yes Bitcoin provides an example of separating the state/empires power from MoE/money although states can and do try to restrict their citizens from using Bitcoin.
I love the ethos and idea of Bitcoin but wonder if we can ever get away from the power structures and dynamics of nation states completely.