> What if the ONLY payment method was the one approved by your "elected" government.

Yeah, what if?

You didn't provide any argument, didn't point to any real problem. You just hinted at a "terrible bad thing". Would we have monsters under our beds or bad guys in corners to ambush us?

This sounds like VISA/Mastercad/Apple Pay playing FUD[1].

[1] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fear,_uncertainty,_and_doubt

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Ajedi32 an hour ago | parent [-]

You realize you're arguing for a monopoly, right? One where competition is not only non-existent but also illegal, and which has complete control over how you're allowed to spend your money.

I think arguing "but it's a democratic monopoly" is little comfort in this situation. Maybe you trust your government not to ever be incompetent or to use the powers granted by this monopoly in a way you disapprove of. Maybe in the short term you'd even be right to do so. But I think history has proven that over the long term that's a very foolish assumption to make.

	▲	dbetteridge 42 minutes ago \| parent \| next [-]
		Which is completely irrelevant because as the government of the country they have the power to make laws, now and in the future which compel private entities to perform actions like AML (anti money laundering) and KYC (know your customers). The end result is private entities taking money out of the system at some stage, and it doesn't shield you in any way from government incompetence or malice.
	▲	TitaRusell an hour ago \| parent \| prev \| next [-]
		In my country they have to make laws to FORCE shops and restaurants to accept cash. Because it is a damn hassle.
	▲	moate an hour ago \| parent \| prev \| next [-]
		You go far enough on fiscal tracking and you just wind up back where we've always been: barter. All currency is as useful as the regime backing it, and when that regime falls, barter always comes back in. Everything else is just rent seeking scaffolding to reduce barter friction (cash let's me store all the value I've created, but so could gold bars, or bitcoin, or vodka). This is to say: All currency is about control and convenience (you trade "invisible transaction" for "easily able to resolve payment") because those in power want to know/control the money and everyone else wants convenience.
	▲	an hour ago \| parent \| prev \| next [-]
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	▲	diego_moita 38 minutes ago \| parent \| prev [-]
		> You realize you're arguing for a monopoly, right? Right! Like all the other monopolies that governments already have: public security (police and courts of law), external security (armed forces), public healthcare in many civilized countries, inspection of health regulations and consumer safety, monetary policy, etc. > you trust your government not to ever be incompetent Oh, I don't. But Apple, Visa, Mastercard and Google Pay aren't very "competent" either. > history has proven that over the long term History has proven that privatization of many of government monopolies are disastrous: Roman generals making private armies and destroying the Republic, abuse of forced labor from inmates in private prisons, exorbitant fees from payment providers (Visa, Mastercard), food dangerous for public consumption because the governments didn't inspect them, etc.