Maurice, I don't quite agree that the issues which I brought up are irrelevant to the concept of Tradeable Citizenship. I think they are. And, indeed, having mentioned how people just "spray some words" over an issue without understanding it, you went ahead and made many good comments on the questions that I raised, in a rather serious and lucent manner... :)
But you are right - psychology matters. Like any big social engineering concept, your idea has many weak spots, and none is more important than the expectation that owners of a Tradeable Citizenship will behave... rationally. People are not very rational, and when they are - they don't do it very consistently.
Many strange and unpredictable types of behavior will take place. You will find millions of people all over the world "raising cash" by recklessly selling their citizenships, and doing whatever - partying, traveling, (mal)investing. Once the money is gone, they'll come back home and move in with their parents, or their families. Other citizens will be forced to act to protect the value of their citizenships, and will try to remove those reckless individuals. Before you know, you'll need a far more powerful police and immigration service that what we have today.
In other words, you start with a wonderful idea, but in order to keep it going, it must become a police state. And who would want to live in a police state?
And this is only one criticism, described as briefly as possible. There are others.
I think that the opposite direction is better -- we need to decrease the power of government, and allow smaller jurisdictions and communities to decide more things for themselves.
Let's see which communities will grow and prosper and attract taxpayers - cleptocracies, or those that are well managed, safe, and with good schools.
PS : What makes you think that paying taxes means being a "tax slave"? By this logic, every time I buy gasoline, I become an oil industry slave. In a relatively "sane" world, by paying my taxes I am merely purchasing certain services. |
