"Libertarian" free software/GNU founder on Bitcoin and "liberty"

[kona]

https://www.coindesk.com/free-softwa...r-than-bitcoin

Yet, Taler does not attempt to bypass centralized authority.

Payments are processed by openly centralized “exchanges” rather than peer-to-peer networks of miners because, Grothoff said, such a system “would again enable dangerous, money laundering kind of practice.”

Indeed, in a break with the anti-government ethos that has tended to characterize bitcoin and some of its peers, Taler’s design explicitly tries to block opportunities for tax evasion.

Speaking to this, Stallman told CoinDesk, “We need a state to do many vital jobs, including fund research, fund education, provide people with medical care – provide everyone with medical care – build roads, maintain order, provide justice, including to those who are not rich and powerful, and so the state’s got to bring in a lot of money.”

What a break from the political leanings of many of bitcoin’s first adherents.

Stallman continued:

“I wouldn’t want perfect privacy because that would mean it would be impossible to investigate crimes at all. And that’s one of the jobs we need the state to do.”

[kona]

A software legend labeling himself libertarian is pro-taxation, pro-M4A. Disappointing.

[specsaregood]

A software legend labeling himself libertarian is pro-taxation, pro-M4A. Disappointing.

Stallman has always been a bit of a commie. I've always preferred and released code under a BSD or MIT style licenses and I think they are much more libertarian-minded than his gnu licenses.

[Occam's Banana]

A software legend labeling himself libertarian is pro-taxation, pro-M4A. Disappointing.

He's explicitly pro-roads, too. I mean, who ever heard of a pro-roads libertarian? SMDH ...