![FINAL THUMB.jpg](https://cdn.steemitimages.com/DQmb35ngR3j6LynSJNsw7ksw6znivbPbfpB6fVKSuD4miev/FINAL%20THUMB.jpg) Before Crypto (B.C.), it was beginning to feel like libertarians and anarchists stood no chance against the ever-growing Goliath of Government. After Decentralization (A.D.) however, I’m more optimistic. One of the best parts of being in the cryptocurrency movement has been watching the old Powers That Shouldn’t Be scramble to keep up. Whether it’s Wall Street shills like Mike Novogratz telling us what is and isn’t Bitcoin, or Corporate America frantically filing patents for every other blockchain-related tech, it’s truly a circus to watch. It’s hard to tell if all these new filings with the archaic Patent Office are the dying establishment’s attempts to squash decentralization, or simply profit off the next big thing. Either way, though, it’s a trend that we need to pay attention to. Take Amazon, for example, who recently filed a patent allowing police to track Bitcoin transactions. ![PICTURE 1 2.jpg](https://cdn.steemitimages.com/DQmUTkeQnHdyuKnC8AXqa5kVHbE4mWMWaXdX8CyFb7z8iTZ/PICTURE%201%202.jpg) PayPal also jumped in on the patent-racket, filing paperwork with the USPTO so they can use the government's goons to legally terrorize and arrest anyone who uses their “intellectual property” for an “Expedited Virtual Currency Transactions System.” The old cronies of Corporate America can’t seem to figure out we are in a paradigm shift: the era of mass-control---via mass-media or mass-regulations---**IS OVER**. Still, just in the last few days, there’ve been multiple reports of big banks and corporations maneuvering to use the state as an enforcement arm for their blockchain patents. Statists gonna state. ![Yo Dawg.jpg](https://cdn.steemitimages.com/DQmfLGRfBoJv6aTheAfBSSibRyCtCutLi2fQrCWeWLhZqu4/Yo%20Dawg.jpg) Bank of America just won a patent for a blockchain security tool that, according to the paperwork: *"...with the advent of distributed/decentralized blockchain networks ... a need exists to develop systems ... that manage control over blocks of resources."* Just like the state promises security at the expense of freedom, this is the narrative so many companies are directing at the crypto space: “things are dangerous, help us oversee and crack down on it!” Of course, blockchains can't really be restricted by any silly government patents, and the whole purpose of decentralized tech is to make the corrupt State and all its rules, regulations and patents obsolete. The truth is, few things are more dangerous than the financial terrorism of fiat Federal Reserve notes dissolving under inflation---but don’t expect Corporate America to file patents to compete against the Fed anytime soon. Even Walmart has now jumped on the bandwagon, filing a patent for a blockchain-based marketplace, which could be great were it not for the government’s gun in the picture. It’s the ring of power. Just as it allured damn near everyone in the allegorical masterpiece *The Lord of the Rings*, the ring represents the dark monopoly power of the state. https://media.giphy.com/media/2z0n5y9GieJri/giphy.gif Filing of patents doesn’t have to be an inherently evil act. If the patents are only filed defensively and explicitly stated that the sole reason for filing is just to ensure someone else doesn’t do it and then impose the force of the state upon others. In that instance, filing a patent is just self-defense. But, we know the likes of Amazon, Walmart and Bank of America aren’t doing it for that reason. They will use the illegitimate force of the state to squash innovation. What they don’t know or realize yet is that the entire point of decentralized and distributed platforms is to remove the power of the state and all of its control systems such as patents. But, one thing is clear, the whole patent race shows us that Big Biz has caught on to blockchain and this will remain the hottest space for the foreseeable future. TDV newsletter subscribers already know that fortunes will be made in the coming years for those who are smart or get the right advice (Subscribe Here). Just a decade ago in 2008 B.C. (Before Crypto), most freedom lovers had few ways of escaping the Evil Empire’s clutches, but in 2018 A.D. (After Decentralization), this is a race We The People are winning. A few months ago, the largest gathering of freethinkers, voluntaryists, libertarians, and ancaps took place in Acapulco, Mexico, where speakers like Ron Paul, G. Edward Griffin, and even members of Wu-Tang Clan enlightened and entertained. Anarchapulco 2019 is already scheduled and tickets are now available, including a pre-sale discount which ends May 31 (Book Now). Confirmed speakers so far include Ron Paul, Judge Napolitano, David Icke, Doug Casey, Cynthia McKinney and many more. You can act now and take advantage of the best price while the offer is still available. Evacuate the state, brave the future. ![jeff-berwick-bio.jpeg](https://cdn.steemitimages.com/DQmf7ZemvnAFkdMZKrfDcWr3N9bCPwb3hwcKEtHEszCEF8x/jeff-berwick-bio.jpeg)