Patri Friedman and Brad Taylor have published an academic paper making the case for seasteading from a public choice perspective. Patri presented a working version of it via video to the Australasian Public Choice Conference held in New Zealand.
The paper can be read here. Feedback is much appreciated!
Here’s the abstract:
We develop a dynamic theory of the industrial organization of government which combines the insights of public choice theory and a dynamic understanding of competition. We argue that efforts to improve policy should be focused at the root of the problem – the uncompetitive governance industry and the technological environment out of which it emerges – and suggest that the most promising way to robustly improve policy is to develop the technology to settle the ocean.
Thanks to Eric Crampton for organizing the event and encouraging us to get a working paper out earlier rather than later.