Crypto-anarchism is a political ideology that advocates the use of cryptography and other technologies to protect individual privacy, freedom, and autonomy from state interference. Crypto-anarchists believe that by encrypting their communications and transactions, we can create a decentralized and voluntary society that is immune to censorship, surveillance, and taxation. The term crypto-anarchism was coined by Timothy C. May in his 1988 "Crypto Anarchist Manifesto", where he declared: "Crypto Anarchy is the cyberspatial realization of anarchism, transcending national boundaries and freeing individuals to make the economic arrangements they wish, consensually." May was one of the founders of the cypherpunk movement, a group of activists and hackers who promoted the use of cryptography and digital currencies to challenge the authority of governments and corporations. The cypherpunks were influenced by libertarian and anarchist thinkers such as Murray Rothbard, David
Although this article is meant specifically for members of the liberty movement, it should be helpful to anyone interested in learning the basics of 3D printing. 3D printing is an excellent example of a vertical counter-economic strategy ( outlined here , by Per Bylund). By decentralizing the manufacturing process, 3D printers hold the promise of turning every basement into a Walmart - or better yet, a gun shop. The fact is, empowering individual and community control over the manufacturing process, necessarily means the state has less control, and that is the goal of counter-economics and the liberty movement in general. Karl Hess wrote in the agorist classic, Community Technology , “The most powerful point to be made for community technology efforts is that when people take any part of their lives back into their own hands, for their own purposes, the cause of local liberty is advanced…” Getting started with 3D printing can be intimidating and may even seem overwhelming at times