Polystate: A Thought Experiment in Distributed Government

by Zach Weinersmith

What if governments didn't rule locations, but instead ruled minds? That is the question explored in this eBook.

"Polystate" refers to the idea of a geographic entity in which multiple overlapping states exist, each consisting of citizens who have agreed to the laws of a single non-geographic state. In this sense, the book is a discussion not of a particular form of government, but a meta-government in which each person is free to choose a new constitution on a yearly basis without the encumbrance of relocation.

It is not clear whether such an institution as a Polystate is possible or desirable, but the author sets out to discuss ways in which it might conceivably work, and why it might be desirable.

Genres: Nonfiction, Politics, Philosophy, Speculative Fiction

73 pages, Kindle Edition

First published February 23, 2014

About the author

Zachary Weinersmith (born Zachary Alexander Weiner) is an American cartoonist, who is best known for his webcomic Saturday Morning Breakfast Cereal (SMBC). He is the author of two other webcomics, the completed Captain Stupendous with artist Chris Jones, and Snowflakes, co-written by James Ashby and also illustrated by Chris Jones. He also founded the sketch comedy group SMBC Theater with James Ashby and Marty Weiner in 2009.

Weinersmith has been involved in writing and drawing comics since his high school years, but he first published on the internet in the late 1990s. His early comics usually had three or more panels, but after 2002, he switched to drawing predominantly one panel comics. He stated in a 2009 interview that he was glad to have decided to draw one panel comics because he felt three panel webcomics had become a webcomic cliche by that time, and that there were almost no decent one panel comics on the internet. More recently, he has drawn a mixture of single and multi panel comics for SMBC.

Weinersmith's webcomic was recognized in 2006, and 2007 with the Web Cartoonists' Choice Award for Outstanding Single Panel Comic,[3] and received nominations in 2003,[4] and 2008.[5]

SMBC is at heart a geek comic, which nevertheless addresses a broad range of topics, such as love, relationships, economics, politics, religion, science, and philosophy. As shown by the diverse range of blogs listed above, it appeals to many different groups.

SMBC has around 250,000 daily readers, served over 300,000,000 comics in 2010, and is one of the fastest growing comics online (has sextupled in readership since 2008). The comics have been featured on many important blogs, including The Economist, Glamour, BoingBoing, Bad Astronomy, Blastr, Blues News, Joystiq, Washington Post, Freakonomics, and more.

Zach has a degree in Literature and 3/8ths of a degree in physics. He enjoys reading about math, logic, science, history, fiction, and philosophy. His hobbies are space travel, dinosaur riding, and wishful thinking. He currently lives in southern California with his beautiful and brilliant wife.

Note: Zach publishes SMBC and SMBC material under both "Zach Weiner" and "Zach Weinersmith".

Reviews

[Cameron · Rating 2 out of 5]

I had hard time getting into this book, perhaps because it didn't really feel like a book. It felt like unfocused rambling - a rough draft, sent off to publishing without running it by an editor. It simultaneously felt like it went on too long and yet did not comprehensively cover the material. More time organizing the book, crystallizing the ideas, pruning what didn't belong, and adding what was missing (like an exploration of its weaknesses and how to avoid them) would have really helped.

Nonetheless, the topic is very interesting to me so I didn't hate it. I just can't recommend it.

[Simona · Rating 5 out of 5]

A very strange topic(have never read it discussed, but after reading this I wonder, why not). A thought experiment about future technological society with many overlapping governments, not bound to any particular geographic location, but somehow distributed.
I wish the book was longer, very interesting, humble and frank.
While reading this, I imagined all the disadvantages, but my imagination was somehow limited in thinking of the benefits. I understand old-fashioned, "back to the past golden days" people. There would surely be advantages to distributed government(polystates).
If we were just free to assume humanity without the society downfalls(races to the bottom are so depressing; tragedy of the commons the same thing) there would be so many great, progressive scenarios facilitated by the polystate. This deserves some fiction written about it(if anyone knows of any, I would appreciate any recommendations thanks).

[Sandy Maguire · Rating 3 out of 5]

Free-Market Governments: The Book. If you're already deep into economics you won't find much here. If you're not, it's a short read talking about what would happen if we got rid of geospatial-based governments and instead went to a sort-of guild system. Not bad, but not worth writing home about.

[Marcelo Sanchez · Rating 3 out of 5]

Un experimento, donde el autor evalua las consecuencias de vivir en lo que el llama un poliestado. Una sociedad donde los estados no tienen limites fronterizos y solo cuentan como un conjunto de reglas que sus miembros eligen seguir. Eligen, porque eligen el estado al que quieren pertenecer.
El experimento es interesante y cumple la función de hacerte pensar en los diversos problemas que acontecen y los que resuelven. Lo que no me gustó es que el autor resuelve algunos de estos problemas con "La teconología para hacerlo factible llegará" y otros los pasa de largo. El ensayo es ligero, superficial en algunos puntos.
No es una lectura humoristica, un ensayo serio ni una historia en ningun sentido. Es un experimento de pensamiento, una premisa.

[Brandon · Rating 3 out of 5]

An interesting thought experiment on governance that could have gone in to much more detail. I would buy a follow up full length book or a novel about this!

[Eric · Rating 4 out of 5]

I only wish this book was longer. I could apparently read Zach Weinersmith expounding on hypothetical governments all day.

[Jason · Rating 2 out of 5]

Eh?

It’s starts with discussing thought experiments as explored through science fiction…and continued discussing it, not science fiction-ing anything.

This guy has an incredible vocabulary.
I loved the term “Minarchy” and the explanation of property rights as the first duty of government.

Otherwise he explains why his goofy idea won’t work in many different ways and it would probably devolve into something like what we have now given the slightest bit of conflict.

Still wish he’d explored it as a sci-fi novel.

[Mehmet Tolgay Cirakoglu · Rating 2 out of 5]

The book tackles air pollution, currency systems or minimum wage (and does that in a superficial and non-systematic manner) without a satisfactory answer with good arguments to why such a system is needed, or if de-coupling geography from governments is mandatory to achieve the objective of personalized citizenship experience. The book ambitiously attempts to be theoretical instead of speculative, but lacks substance to do so.

[Ehsan · Rating 4 out of 5]

Can we Imagine an alternate form of government? This book lets you forget about what is and makes you start to think about what could be.

[Siarhei · Rating 2 out of 5]

Fragile dream.

[Fastesthamster · Rating 2 out of 5]

As the two stars says, it was okay. I felt there could be stronger criticism, and he wasn't thinking of the strongest objections or critiques of his theory.

[Stephen]

Fun thought experiment.

[Jaime · Rating 3 out of 5]

Un experimento mental bastante interesante, aunque nada plausible.