Full Review of The Sovereign Individual by James D. Davidson & L. Wm Rees-Mogg
by Kimia LaShawn
Going into this reading was a mixture of excitement, confusion, and naivety. I saw sovereign and expected an eat the rich pamphlet. Walking away from this book I understand this is from the perspective of the rich and what their reality truly is and where the writer(s) believe it’s going. I’ve taken detailed notes for each chapter and I’m going to remember that my class is not represented here as potential readers and will not hold it against them.
Collectively, the subtitles of the chapters were chosen very well and after reading the chapter, the title gives a ‘aha’ moment.
Chapter one gave me a laugh. I refuse to believe this catastrophe that I’ve been hearing about my whole life, boils down to the date and time presets on all the computers. Reading the hysteria that intended on giving every level of the class system in America to feel directly harmed. Payroll failure, wide-spread utility failure, and nuclear weapon detonation are just a few of the possibilities that seemed to be impeding because the YY (in MM/DD/YY) was expected to go from 12/31/99 to 01/01/00. It’s not lost on me that I grew up with the internet, and I’m not one of the generations that saw computers as a major technical advancement. The major advancements of my lifetime are what the computers can do.
Chapter two endows a name to the aspect of human nature that ensures violence, insecurity. It’s communicated that even if a government is failing those that depend on that government for survival will cling to it. When someone’s quality of life is decreased due to the their support system being less impactful are expected to turn to violence. Depending on how effective that violence that shapes the realities of the entire society. Violence equals control, authority equals ownership, and the ability to maintain it is security. When business is going well that security can be shared through multiple jurisdictions. When business is not going well, that security must devolve into a smaller jurisdiction of control. Advice given is to identify the needs of those dependent on the government, find at what scale you can maintain at replacing that support, and as that authority/reliability is handed over, your affluence grows.
Chapter three affords an interesting detail on foraging communities having smaller population numbers due to food gathering, storage, and transportation limitations. Farming provided communities the ability to feed more people, allowing for population growth and cultivating livestock. The dark capitalization of these advancements are to use the labor of others while gradually cutting their compensation for maximum profits. This is a broad example of a system of violence that can be found in the early days of the Agricultural Era and now.
Chapter four inspired a question in me being, is the logic of violence a precursor of the laws we subjected to or if the laws come first? I feel my answer is a bit of both. The imagination of mankind is as a boundless as space and so to anticipate violence is more than possible. My question came from a realization that if the logic of violence is the superior deciding factor for how society will move forward, are the laws in the favor of the violent? Also again, those who honestly attribute their quality of living, wealth, and survival to the nation-state will have strong negative emotions towards those who wish to separate and live independently of the ability of using the nation-state for future survival, which directly impacts those currently dependent in that way.
Chapter five submits how the current democratic structure pools resources while simultaneously pacifying those whose labor and resources are being extracted. My favorite declaration is one that soothes my conspiracies, “price has little relation to cost.” The proprietors are focused on wellness of the investments, these would be capitalists in my opinion. Outside of my opinion these are the business and landowners within the nation-state, better known as being taxed by the nation-state. It’s explained that proprietor-focused thinking will want to lower protection costs for the general public and refocus those savings to protecting investments and resources. The employee-focused thinking is expected to increase compensation of employees while maybe increasing protection costs or allowing it to remain the same. Chronic deficits are imminent. The customer-focused thinking employs the protections the nation-state offers at or below the rate they have contributed. Sovereigns have the resources to maintain a military, the nation-states tax the citizens and remain sovereign. It’s noted that during feudalism, taxes were collected from a single point and those points dealt directly with the individuals. This was less lucrative venture in comparison to the current system taxing the individuals directly. Lastly, the explanation on how nationalism as a collective attitude is a military advantage for the nation was a parallel I hadn’t considered.
Chapter six details the difference between a protection service and a protection racket. Reminding us that those you employ for protection are most capable of harming you. When protection introduces it’s identical twin, it’s name is extortion (by definition). This chapter also details that within the Information Age, the bots that will be created to handle tasks without needing human intervention will survive their creators in death and continue to carry out their designated tasks. Also, monopolizing cyberspace may be attempted by nation-states, future mini-states, or sovereigns however it will be futile.
Chapter seven presents a few examples of what will be seen or experience in the cybereconomy. A few being unseen computational power being subject to taxation and payments being rendered in cybercommerce. That first example is why I feel states may prohibit cyberbanks. My most recent thought is if and when will nation-states established and enforce crimes committed in the cybereconomy. This decentralization is what gave birth to the Silk Road and the inevitable offspring of it. The world is headed towards seriously implementing the cybereconomy into society’s interactions because it has been a method to amass wealth and wealth is what fuels the world. Investing is long term planning, trading is short term planning.
Chapter eight contributes what I believe is valuable advice to those who will be seeking employment, “a job is a task you will do and not a thing you will have.” This leads to the explanation that your skills and knowledge will be more valuable then whatever you are doing now. To employers, invest in the talent your business needs. The corporate bloat, excessive assets, and resources will be your businesses undoing as nation-states have to collect taxes more intently than we’ve ever seen before. To sovereigns, expect mini states that survive off co-op style partnerships that will allow them to have multiple needs met within the community without having to overexert their labor force. The nation-states will also lean towards the co-op style partnerships for outsourcing to cut costs.
Chapter nine offers legitimacy to a possibility of nationalism losing it’s support as ministates begin to proliferate and start to negotiate being a ‘federally recognized’ group in attempt to prolong the nation-states’ lifespan. I’m curious as to what culture adaptions will see arise from these societies. It’s stressed to diversify your knowledge and ability to communicate outside of your locale. A decision of surrendering for aid or seizing others’ assets for survival will face many during this proposed reality.
Chapter ten carries the message of eight and nine further. Competing globally should be the primary focus of all looking to make a living or run a mini-state of their own. Democracy prevailed due to the accessibility and useability of firearms, in a cyberwar those firearms have no clear target. Lastly, the commercialization of sovereignty will be prevalent.
Chapter eleven provides a breakdown I saw as the conqueror vs the merchant. The conqueror destroys their competitors, seizes their assets, and control their territory. The merchant wants prosperous customers knowing that will directly impact compensation and demand, their customers’ satisfaction, and building commerce. Conquest, destruction, satisfaction, and commerce. They can be seen as different sides or the same coin or different indications of the next set of movements. The ability to work towards personal goals within the larger framework of society is requirement, even today. The year 2100 is approximately 74 years, 29 weeks, and 3 days away. A class of 500 million will emerge, with an oligarchy of 100 or so million.
Finally, this reading has shown me to diversify my talent, expertise, and business capabilities. Prepared to see a demand for knowledge that others may not have the time or resources to acquire for themselves. Businesses are given a charge to meet the demand that currently the nation-states are supplying to ensure their own longevity during what will be the transitory time going into the next 22nd century.
Get the book. Read the book. Let me know what you think.
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