Liberland: The Libertarian Crypto Micronation in Eastern Europe | CRYPTOLAND Episode 8

All over the world, the crypto-wealthy are looking to create blockchain utopias that critics say are just the latest example of colonialism.

In this episode of Cryptoland, Motherboard takes you to 'Floating Man,' a wild multi-day festival for believers in Liberland, a Bitcoin-powered micronation located in a contested patch of land between Croatia and Serbia that technically doesn't exist.


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[louisclifford]

I came here to learn how to invest after listening to a guy on radio talk about the importance of investing and how he made $460, 000 in 4 months from $160k, somehow this video has helped shed light on some things, but I'm still confused, I'm a newbie and I'm open to ideas.

[heatherroemahoney]

This is the kind of world 🌎 we’ve made for ourselves and our children, better have no enemies when the light goes out, due to the economic crisis, wars and rate of unemployment I think now is the best time to invest and make more money for the future

[offsitearchive]

You don't claim land with flags, but with the ability to defend its borders (possibly with international recognition and help). The choice for this strip of land was probably a wise one, given that Serbs and Croats hold each other in check on land claims.

[mckennaman]

The roundtable at the end is so unbelievably misinformed it questions the journalistic integrity of the piece

Describing El Salvador switch to Bitcoin as "colonial" while it is a nation that was LITERALLY dollarized - meaning they had to use the US dollar rather than their own sovereign currency.


Oh and most of their remittances which was a significant % of GDP traveling through Western financial corporations is now no longer subject to rent seeking thanks to settlement on crypto asset network

[FrankFerendo]

This “journalist” keeps trying to put words in peoples mouths. I hate that crap. That scene with the police “trying to stop them” was ridiculous and what kept happening throughout. They weren’t trying to stop them. Cut it out bro.

[TreDogOfficial]

I'm glad such communities exist. We Libertarians are a small minority of the whole population. To find like-minded people to invest with, and to share culture with, is priceless.

[bills]

Anyone else think the reporter is a complete tool? "I want to speak to the police" "Were being stopped by Croatian Police", "Were not being stopped, I wan't to talk to them", "Oh Were actually not being stopped" lmao. Genius

[jameshamilton]

Also no one in El Salvador is forced to use bitcoin. BTC is legal tender in El Salvador. legal tender means "all debts maybe be paid using this method". Not you have to pay, vendors have to accept it. You can immediately liquidate if you choose to.

[rbhkg]

How is a country adopting bitcoin a form of colonialism? Not sure how they are coming to that conclusion. I suppose if they adopted the US dollar then it wouldn't be colonialism?

[slamslidestyle]

im pretty disappointed with vice's crypto show. i was pretty excited at first, but again and again they drop the ball on these stories. might write a thread on it. <3

[feelnowayss]

Libertarians forming their own state is hilarious.

[bronxer]

Vice's reporters criticize Liberland, speaking from the egalitarian utopia of the United States. :/

[DocPop]

I really like this series. It's been a while since a new episode went up, but I hope more are coming.

[judgemanny]

Vice motherboard. please tag me for your next comedy special. this had me rolling.

[johnjoslyn]

I love that the 'voting system' of this community is a literal, perfect indictment of most crypto technologies: anyone who can afford to have outsize control on the network will absolutely take advantage of their network effect do accomplish things that s u c k

[alejandromedina]

and having dollars in El Salvador isnt a colonial practice?

[GBA]

3:42 "We don't really have diseases, the body is functioning for our protection" - Are you sure about that buddy?

[lilchichi_eth]

How can they say it's colonialism - More accurate to describe it as a shift in currency and more specifically a shift away from a deflationary currency. No matter what the change is, there will always be a group that benefit more than others, due to being early adopters, having a bigger stake but moving to a deflationary currency will surely be beneficial for the countries finances as well as the people over time.

[C.u.d.s]

Hmm, looks like a great opportunity to scam people.

[andreujuanc]

You can program the blockchain to do whatever you want. If some libertarians make things their way, it does not mean that a socialist cannot code their own governance token and do "socialand" or something and be as they want.
The good thing about blockchain is that will allow transparency and eventually privacy as well. (it is not private at the moment)