Is the assumption in the Bitcoin community that governments can't really shut things down effectively enough to cut Bitcoin off (with things like encryption, tor, occasionally walking a USB across the border, etc.)?
It just doesn't sit right with me that there was such intense concern over the (minor and short-lived) fork on Monday. Especially if governments could effectively force a network fork within their region. I'm sure many governments couldn't fracture the blockchain without crippling a large part of their own economy at the same time - the internet is just too deeply connected. But repressive, desperate countries may - and that puts a chink in the "robustness" promise for me.
There are a lot of assumptions about many different possibilities. And really - just like yesterday's fork - until they happen, who knows?
But I don't see trying to connect to a valid blockchain as much of an issue in the case where a government is behaving as badly as you're concerned about. I think you'd probably be much busier trying to get out with a whole skin. In the end though, getting your bitcoin out would be a hell of a lot easier than getting a bunch of gold or silver out.