4 ms·

Aren't transactions that occur on bitcoin p2p and "anonymous"? I think Neal Stephenson once predicted such a system would lead to the end of nation states (sinc

• njharman 15y ago
  Many, many people have used "p2p" and anonymous means to attempt tax evasion. Nation states are pretty good at passing laws to illegalize their activities and throwing those people in jail. Nation states will simply make anything that threatens them illegal. See Open Internet in China for instance. Fringe and criminal types will always get around it (always have). But the mainstream, the masses will remained controlled by nation state.
  • JonnieCache 15y ago
    >Many, many people have used "p2p" and anonymous means to attempt tax evasion Suitcases full of used nonconsecutive notes have always done up until now.
• travisp 15y ago
  Suppose someone exclusively receives money via bitcoin and their name is in no way linked to the bitcoin address. Yes, they are probably anonymously receiving money. But, if they are purchasing any actual physical goods, the IRS knows they are receiving money somehow. They better be reporting them as the IRS likes to look into people who have spending that is out of line compared to their income. Also, from the FSF announcement: "Because of the way the system works, contributions to this address will not be fully anonymous."