ABSTRACT
This chapter explores the respective political theories of Timothy May and Julian Assange. Drawing a distinction between May’s crypto anarchy and Assange’s crypto justice, it argues that there are different theories of the state within the cypherpunk movement. May’s crypto anarchy draws upon David Friedman’s anarcho-capitalism to argue that all governments are illegitimate because they violate the non-coercion principle. Assange’s crypto justice draws upon cybernetics and the communication theory of Harold Innis to argue that secretive governments are authoritarian and therefore lack the public’s consent.
