A New Theory of Violence Cycles with Rahim Taghizadegan (WiM391)
Nov 13, 2023
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Rahim Taghizadegan, an economist, discusses his paper on the Praxeology of Coercion and Violence Cycles. They explore violence cycles, the collaborative structure of markets, empire expansion, persuasion, Bitcoin's role, and the importance of illusions within society.
Long periods of peace can create a craving for violence, leading to explosive reconciliation.
The supply and demand of 'bads' and subjective perceptions of threats are crucial in violent cycles.
Bitcoin can potentially lower the cost of evasion and decrease the validity of threats in coercive exchanges, influencing catalytic outcomes.
Deep dives
The Influence of History on Current Times
The podcast explores how periods of peace can lead to a craving for reality, resulting in people embracing the violence of war. It draws a parallel between the era leading up to the first world war and the present, suggesting a similar momentum is at play today. The episode touches upon how systems based on deception and threats can lead to destructive cycles. It highlights the importance of reality checks and the danger of long periods of peace lulling people into obedience, potentially resulting in explosive reconciliation.
The Praxeology of Coercion
The podcast delves into a paper titled 'The Praxeology of Coercion, A New Theory of Violence Cycles'. The paper explores the supply and demand of 'bads' in contrast to the exchange of 'goods'. It introduces the concept of a violent cycle theory, which can explain the stability of violent structures and sheds new light on the long peace hypothesis. The paper also examines the subjective perceptions of threats and the backing behind those threats in coercive exchanges. It discusses the importance of understanding human action and the choices we make in both catalytic and coercive interactions.
The Impact of Bitcoin on Coercive Structures
The podcast explores how Bitcoin, as a material incentive, can potentially lower the cost of evasion and decrease the validity of threats in coercive exchanges. By providing a concealable and portable form of purchasing power, Bitcoin can enable individuals to avoid the plundering of their wealth. It is suggested that Bitcoin and similar technologies have the potential to influence structures and contribute to catalytic outcomes. The episode emphasizes the historical role of spatial diversification and technology in avoiding plunder and nurturing cultural and material flourishing.
Temporal Misalignment and Violence in Coercive Structures
The podcast episode discusses the importance of temporal alignment in various systems, such as economic behavior and violence. Temporal alignment refers to the coordination of actions and expectations over time. The speaker emphasizes that threats and coercion play a significant role in these systems. When threats are made, the expectation is that the threatened party will comply without the need for actual violence. This concept applies to economic behavior, where promises, subjective knowledge, and expectations influence outcomes. Additionally, the speaker suggests that violence and coercion have an underlying discovery process, which can lead to the emergence and breakdown of coercive structures.
Illusions, Social Constructs, and the Rule of Law
The episode explores the concepts of illusions, social constructs, and the rule of law. It highlights that while certain phenomena may be considered illusions or social constructs, they are often rooted in reality and serve specific purposes. Private property, for example, is a social institution that has proven beneficial for cooperation and material prosperity. It is not a mere illusion, but a useful mental concept and network effect. The rule of law, on the other hand, is not solely reliant on threats and coercion. Cooperation and cultural norms play key roles, and dependencies on threats for cooperation are costly and not sustainable. The episode emphasizes the importance of understanding the interplay between illusions, cooperation, and social dynamics.
Rahim Taghizadegan joins me to discuss his published paper, “The Praxeology of Coercion: A New Theory of Violence Cycles".
Rahim Taghizadegan is an economist, author, physicist, philosopher, investor, and entrepreneur. He is the last Austrian economist of the Austrian School in the direct tradition.
// OUTLINE // 00:00:00 - Coming up 00:00:43 - Intro 00:02:16 - Helping Lightning Startups with In Wolf's Clothing 00:03:02 - Introducing Rahim Taghizadegan 00:03:47 - Abstract of Rahim's Paper 00:11:00 - Subjectivism and Marginalism of Praxeology 00:17:50 - Catallactics vs. Cratics Methods and Structures 00:27:59 - The Worst Aspects of Cratic Society 00:34:26 - Economic Implosion of Large Empires 00:36:10 - Run Your Business from Anywhere with NetSuite 00:37:15 - Secure Your Bitcoin Stash with the iCoin Hardware Wallet 00:38:11 - Bright Lines in Persuasion, Psychological Manipulation, and Coercion 00:43:56 - Fate of a Coercive Society 00:46:51 - Negative Impact of Long Peace 00:49:16 - The Problem with Distortion from Reality 00:51:40 - Does Bitcoin Provide an Alternative? 00:55:55 - Reliability of a Hard Material Incentive 00:57:06 - Enhance Your Brain Power with Mind Lab Pro 00:58:13 - Take Control of Your Healthcare with CrowdHealth 00:59:15 - A Bitcoin Wallet with Privacy Built-In: Wasabi Wallet 01:00:06 - Is Fiat Currency a Deception in the Marketplace? 01:04:12 - Does Private Property Actually Exist? 01:09:20 - How to Manage the Vulnerability of Social Technology 01:12:26 - The Rule of Law and Cratic Structure 01:18:12 - Where to Find Rahim on the Internet
