Humans love their independence. Wars have been fought for it, songs have been written about it, and history is filled with examples of individuals and communities seeking to raise a flag towards more liberating ideals. And some have taken the flag very literally. 



Project Minerva was an ambitious endeavour led by Michael Oliver in the 1970s to create a libertarian utopia on the coral reefs of the South Pacific. They got some coral, wrapped it in chicken wire, covered it in cement, and dumped it on the existing coral reefs which lay just a few metres beneath the water line. High above their man-made island, the flag for the Republic of Minerva flew proudly.



But do these libertarians think about the impact on indigenous populations? 



And would you really want to live in a country (or a planet) that is bankrolled and governed by the wealthy elite? Surely they have their own agenda, and it’s likely not the health and well-being of their citizens…


00:00 Shipwrecked on Invisible Reefs
01:27 Michael Oliver Escapes from Nazi Rule
03:28 Constructing a Libertarian Utopia: The Republic of Minerva
05:02 Exploring Libertarian Escapes with Professor Raymond B. Craib
09:09 Post World War II Market Libertarianism
13:27 Sealand: A Libertarian Exit with Longevity
18:15 Ethical Dilemmas of Libertarian Exits
21:42 Grand Schemes of Billionaires: Dreams vs. Reality
22:24 The Labor Dilemma in Utopian Projects
24:52 The Contrast Between Organic and Engineered Libertarian Projects
31:04 Ethical Quandaries of Libertarian Experiments
35:23 Reimagining Power and Governance in Libertarian Exits
42:43 The Cautionary Tale of the Republic of Minerva
45:58 Concluding Thoughts on Libertarian Utopias



SOURCES:
A Narrative of the Wreck of the Minerva, by Peter Bays 
Adventure Capitalism: A History of Libertarian Exit, from the Era of Decolonization to the Digital  Age, by Raymond Craib
Escape Therapy: On Douglas Rushkoff’s “Survival of the Richest”, by Raymond Craib, in LA  Review of Books 

Humans love their independence. Wars have been fought for it, songs have been written about it, and history is filled with examples of individuals and communities seeking to raise a flag towards more liberating ideals. And some have taken the flag very literally. 
 
Project Minerva was an ambitious endeavour led by Michael Oliver in the 1970s to create a libertarian utopia on the coral reefs of the South Pacific. They got some coral, wrapped it in chicken wire, covered it in cement, and dumped it on the existing coral reefs which lay just a few metres beneath the water line. High above their man-made island, the flag for the Republic of Minerva flew proudly.
 
But do these libertarians think about the impact on indigenous populations? 
 
And would you really want to live in a country (or a planet) that is bankrolled and governed by the wealthy elite? Surely they have their own agenda, and it’s likely not the health and well-being of their citizens…
 
<ul>
<li aria-level="1">00:00 Shipwrecked on Invisible Reefs</li>
<li aria-level="1">01:27 Michael Oliver Escapes from Nazi Rule</li>
<li aria-level="1">03:28 Constructing a Libertarian Utopia: The Republic of Minerva</li>
<li aria-level="1">05:02 Exploring Libertarian Escapes with Professor Raymond B. Craib</li>
<li aria-level="1">09:09 Post World War II Market Libertarianism</li>
<li aria-level="1">13:27 Sealand: A Libertarian Exit with Longevity</li>
<li aria-level="1">18:15 Ethical Dilemmas of Libertarian Exits</li>
<li aria-level="1">21:42 Grand Schemes of Billionaires: Dreams vs. Reality</li>
<li aria-level="1">22:24 The Labor Dilemma in Utopian Projects</li>
<li aria-level="1">24:52 The Contrast Between Organic and Engineered Libertarian Projects</li>
<li aria-level="1">31:04 Ethical Quandaries of Libertarian Experiments</li>
<li aria-level="1">35:23 Reimagining Power and Governance in Libertarian Exits</li>
<li aria-level="1">42:43 The Cautionary Tale of the Republic of Minerva</li>
<li aria-level="1">45:58 Concluding Thoughts on Libertarian Utopias</li>
</ul>
 
SOURCES:
<ul>
<li aria-level="1"><a href="https://www.google.com.au/books/edition/_/wMMNAAAAQAAJ?hl=en&amp;gbpv=1&amp;pg=PR1">A Narrative of the Wreck of the Minerva</a>, by Peter Bays </li>
<li aria-level="1"><a href="https://pmpress.org/index.php?l=product_detail&amp;p=1242">Adventure Capitalism: A History of Libertarian Exit, from the Era of Decolonization to the Digital  Age</a>, by Raymond Craib</li>
<li aria-level="1"><a href="https://lareviewofbooks.org/article/escape-therapy-on-douglas-rushkoffs-survival-of-the-richest/">Escape Therapy: On Douglas Rushkoff’s “Survival of the Richest”</a>, by Raymond Craib, in LA  Review of Books </li>
</ul>

From tales of historical idiocracy and scientific genius to weird and wacky cultural phenomena, Dr Rod Lamberts and Dr Will Grant are here to take you on a wild conversational journey, deep diving into the crevices of science, history and culture that you never knew existed. 

From tales of historical idiocracy and scientific genius to weird and wacky cultural phenomena, Dr Rod Lamberts and Dr Will Grant are here to take you on a wild conversational journey, deep diving into the crevices of science, history and culture that you never knew existed.

Science stories for people who sit up the back of…

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