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Daniel Melgar's avatar

Have you read Michael Magoon on Substack or his book series, From Poverty to Progress. He proposes the creation of smaller states out of the larger city populations (greater than 2 million) into city-states to be governed more like autonomous city-states to foster innovation and competition.

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Robin Hanson's avatar

Haven't read that, but wouldn't help much unless those new city-states would become FAR more insular than they are now.

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Daniel Melgar's avatar

I thought you’d say that. So small groups (libertarians, communitarians, etc. ) need to buy up land (sort of like Zionists in the 1880s) and settle down with their community members and fight legal battles in court against various federal, state and local tax claims, which is how the Amish prevailed against Social Security and Medicare taxes.

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Robin Hanson's avatar

They first have to WANT to be insular. Few odd groups today do.

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Daniel Melgar's avatar

Well I’m moving to Knox county, Ohio, which has a growing Amish community. When I set up my small libertarian community I’ll let you know.

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John Michener's avatar

I was interested in the social engineering aspect of Mormonism, but it is clear that the Mormons have largely adopted the general aspects of the mass culture. At least my reading of the Book of Mormon would support a far more separate path, more like Amish separatism. It is a path not taken - but clearly envisioned.

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Robin Hanson's avatar

The Mormons were more like the Amish, but then central church leadership decided to integrate more w/ US culture.

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TheNeverEndingFall's avatar

What implications do you think this has for immigration? (a la, Garrett Jones?)

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Robin Hanson's avatar

Immigration doesn't matter much re issues I'm talking about in this post.

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