The Sovereign Individual(Paperback)

Truth to tell, I was a wee bit disappointed when it became obvious that I will not be eligible to be a Sovereign Individuals. I looked forward as eagerly as anyone to the replacement of the nation state with a new way, a way that will not involve government confiscation or violent coercion, particularly since I have a couple of speeding tickets due. But this! Bill Gates, George Soros, Marc Rich and, yes, Jeff Bezos will negotiate tax treaties with private armies and will be treated like customers instead of subjects, while we little people will be left with an exhausted country that can no longer support itself because the taxes that are its lifeblood are no longer paid because the assets of the cognitive elite are safely ensconced and encrypted in cyberspace! Rising crime, falling services--perhaps anarchy-- is what we'll be left with while the cognitive elite drinks rare vintages and rakes in billions in encrypted cybercash with just a few keystrokes, probably while enjoying the view from the finest islands on the planet.One wonders: Is there some way we can head off this exodus of society's most productive members and their tax dollars? Come back, I say, come back! Don't leave us here at the mercy of the Cosa Nostra and the Tong Triads and the Russian biznizmeni!--But wait, what's this on page 215? "...The effects of freeing resources from systematic compulsion will vary greatly among jurisdictions. This freezing of resources will bankrupt welfare states, and enhance diseconomies to scale that are undermining large governments and all institutions subsidized by large governments."Ah-ha! Apparently it has not been decided yet whether to "free" or "freeze" the resources of the world. If somehow the Information Elite can be persuaded (not coerced!) into taking the latter course, then there just might be a way to keep the resources from being encrypted. You see, with global warming, it's going to be hard to keep a carton of peas frozen for very long, much less all the non-pea assets of the world.We are indebted to the authors for giving us this freeing/freezing hint to preserve our way of life for a few more years.

I was enthusiastic about James Dale Davidson after reading his "The Death of Politics". Mr. Davidson is so different from the brainless Libertarian preachers. He's neither a remote-from-life storyteller like Mary Ruwart or a narrow-minded fanatic like Ayn Rand. Mr. Davidson doesn't moralize. (In fact, this book might help you realize why some of the extremist Libertarians' proposals are just plain stupid.) He's not ranting and raving and gnashing his teeth while whining over the tax money taken away by the Big Bad Government. He's analyzing human history with unbiased, cold rationality and explains you what's going on in the world with a killing logic that'll blast you off the chair.At least, that applies to the first half of the book. I don't know if Mr. Davidson got tired of writing, but somehow he loses his cold rational reason in the second half. First, he's getting emotional about his subject. Expressions like "rapacious governments" and "predatory taxes" start to disturb you again and again. Second, Mr. Davidson begins to widen his analysis onto things he hasn't got a clue about. His concept of languages, for instance, is incompetent and pitiful, even considering that he's an English speaker. I'm not going into details because that's not the purpose of this review. But my advice to Mr. Davidson would be to stick to the areas of his expertise. When you're good at something, it doesn't mean that you're good at everything.The book, as it is, is by no means convincing. After reading it, I have lots of questions I'd like to ask Mr. Davidson. Also, his writing style could be better. He could have cut the innumerable useless repetitions and given better arguments instead. Still, Mr. Davidson's theory is by far the most plausible explanation of the human history and the second most credible future prediction I know.After reading all the reviews on this page, you might be confused and wonder if Mr. Davidson's right or wrong. Well, that's not really the point. It doesn't matter if you agree with him or not - he'll bring connections to your attention you have never thought of before. It's not important if Mr. Davidson predictions prove to be right or wrong - they're one possible cause of actions that you should take into consideration while planning your future."The Sovereign Individual" is something I call "a useful legend". It enhances your thinking, no matter if it's true or not. If you want to take your future into your own hands, your chances to succeed are greater if you are informed about Mr. Davidson's theory. However, if you're just another Libertarian cry-baby, this book might prove hazardous to your sweet black-and-white illusions.Finally, I'm sorry to tell you that the last chapter of the book really sucks. Can you believe that Mr. Davidson is actually starting to preach Christian morality? I thought I was going to subscribe to his newsletter, but now I'm not so sure about it. I consider it dangerous to take financial advice from people who are blinded by morality. So, I decrease my 5-star-rating by one star and close the book very confused.

Robert Kiyosaki, author of Rich Dad Poor Dad recommends The Sovereign Individual as one of the must-read books for those who want to be Financially Independent. I like this book for its contribution to future-trend-watching. It ranks as one of the essential readings for those who want to be Financially Independent.James Dale Davidson and Lord William Rees-Mogg are experts at predicting future trends and tailoring financial strategies and self-reliant measures to protect oneself against the future. The Sovereign Individual is about self-accountability and taking action. The Sovereign Individual is not beholden to his government and looks out for himself/herself and his/her loved ones. The Sovereign Individual takes steps to ensure his/her physical safety, job/business and finances.This book challenges the concept of nationhood and all the propaganda fed to us. The concept of nationhood as we have come to known is a relatively young one and not necessarily a good one. Governments, spouting patriotism, can make use of its people for its own ends e.g. burdensome taxes, raising armies for wars, treating its citizens like low-classed employees - all for the benefit of a select elite few.A warning for the interested would-be reader. The Sovereign Individual is written in the typical Davidson/Rees-Mogg famed-style - alarmist, paranoid and hyberbolic. I urge the reader to see pass this style because there is much to be gained from reading this book.For the interested reader, I would also recommend The Roaring 2000s by Harry Dent.

More men need to read this!

Bankman-Fried and his merry band of thieves must have read this book and believed that they were going to be 'sovereign' individuals after year 2000, fully autonomous, above the law, and able to steal and defraud with no consequences. Unless the 'sovereign' individual refers to Uber drivers making $9/hour, it missed the mark by a mile and a half.It's nearly 30 years later, and war and politics are still the primary modus operandi of every major power. And governments are still HIGHLY relevant. One Star.