Bibliographic entry (nonfiction):

Ithiel De Sola Pool, Technologies of Freedom

The Soviet bloc was not brought down by nuclear bombs, tanks, or guns. In the final analysis, it was the photocopier and fax machine which did them in.

Centralized, authoritarian regimes gain and maintain power by centrally-controlled systems of communication. The thesis of Ithiel De Sola Pool is that decentralized communication systems are inherently difficult for authoritarian regimes to control. They are thus tools which can be used by dissidents to spread truth in contradiction to the regime's propaganda, and ultimately subvert the regime's control over the populace.

In connection with Y2K and rebuilding in the aftermath, it seems to me that preserving or restoring decentralized, distributed communications technologies should clearly be the top priority, if liberty and human rights are to be protected.

-- Stefan Stackhouse (stefans@mindspring.com), August 14, 1999

Answers

From: Y2K, ` la Carte by Dancr (pic), near Monterey, California

So this would mean what? Ham radio? Solar panels for our laptop & mini printer with plenty of ink cartridges & reams of paper? A mimeograph machine? What else?

-- Dancr (addy.available@my.webpage), October 09, 1999.