[ExI] Law of the Sea

[Tara Maya]

China has been frightening its neighbors with its exaggerated claims in the South China sea. But is it so terrible to build new islands in the ocean, if it weren’t for the missiles China is planting there?

Given our level of technology, the deep blue is no longer a wilderness, and maybe it’s time to rethink treating the ocean as a Commons, to be abused by anyone, or fought over by the law of the jungle. Maybe we should re-draw borders in the sea, and actually assign each bit of the ocean to … well, that’s the rub. To who?

I am interested in the Seasteader movement, but I don’t see how they are going to uphold claims to new colonies without a navy. Perhaps it would be better to divide up the sea among existing countries and then allow them to sell of the ocean to individuals or groups as a way to raise money. 

This would turn the ocean into property, but we would still want to protect the right of passage, so perhaps it could be a form of entailed property, which requires that the owners allow passage of shipping and sea life and water itself, etecera. I’m just throwing out ideas to see if any of you smart folks have better ones!


Tara