Quote from: bitinlet on June 18, 2014, 06:08:09 PM

For example, let's just say governments convince the public of Bitcoin's merits as a replacement for cash, and decide to do away with cash. Let's say they institute their own crypto. The Fed, governments and the public moved towards a system similar to Bitcoin for cash-like exchanges. Maybe we even kept our non-cash, bank-related transactions as they are - digital. What becomes extinct under this scenario? Non-gov't sanctioned cryptos and cash.

if the government made their own altcoin, go ahead let them... let them tax the altcoin, in the grand scheme of things it makes no difference bitcoin is bitcoin and an altcoin/FIAT is an altcoin/FIAT

by moving away from bank notes makes bitcoin more accessible and the general public will begin to understand crypto-currencies better. they can then choose to stick with the government controlled coin or the freedom of international, uncontrolled bitcoin.

Quote from: bitinlet on June 18, 2014, 06:08:09 PM

To me this presents a very large problem and the problem is in regards to interest rates. As you may know, the ECB recently announced a negative interest rate policy. To many this seems straight-up confusing. So, you're charging people to save? Basically, yes.

if the government done a negative interest rate on a altcoin then it will be the exact same as freicoin, (worth researching)

Quote from: bitinlet on June 18, 2014, 06:08:09 PM

The one defense against this is - cash. What do I mean? Well, cash can be put in your pocket or under your mattress and in a sense save your money (because the alternative is you losing money by putting it in a bank). You can't do this with digital cash stored in a bank under this scenario. Of course, one could argue that independent cryptocurrencies (as they currently are) would also be protection. But, I think my issue with that is, governments at large could ban them. Yes, whether we want to admit this or not, this is possible.

there is no single point/ center / origin where governments can prevent the use of bitcoin. even if they tried to just make it illegal to use bitcoins, it will just be like the alcohol prohibition era and the current drug laws... people still buy it and get wasted each day...

Quote from: bitinlet on June 18, 2014, 06:08:09 PM

So, for example, the US gov't (and gov'ts like it) could create their own crypto, ban all "free" cryptos", do away with cash and institute negative interest rates - sucking out all monetary wealth to pay for it's ever-growing debt.

I'm probably reading too much into this, but this scares the crap out of me... please calm me down...

yea your broad stroking alot of things and moving into sci-fi apocalypse story lines. i prefer to read documentaries.. which this topic will never be. in 50 years this would be on the fantasy channel, not the history channel.

summary:
governments can make their own freicoin copies and have negative interest rates to force consumers to spend instead of save. governments can get rid of bank notes.. but nothing governments can do would every totally destroy bitcoin.