An Open Letter (The DAO Attacker)
I find this whole situation has an interesting parallel to international law. Unlike other kinds of law that are backed by the power of individual states, international law exists in this weird zone where it's kind of law, but kind of also the United States can do whatever they want because they own all the aircraft carriers and what are you going to do about it punk?<p>That's why it's funny to see Sealand, Hutt River Province, Liberland and other nation-hacking experiments say things like "The Law says this is our nation!". The law is an illusion that exists only in the shade of power, specifically power to provide enforcement. That illusion just doesn't work on the world stage. Any sufficiently powerful actual nation could come and take your island and no other nation would bat an eye. The only reason they don't is because it usually doesn't matter enough to even be worth the bad press.<p>Ultimately, The illusion of law in Ethereum is implemented on top of the power of the miners involved. The miners can and possibly will eradicate The Attacker's carefully grifted money if it suits their interests. Power trumps law.<p>This open letter is being written for two reasons: firstly, the power of the miners can be swayed by appealing to their ideals. Secondly, because this whole virtual legal playpen is still subject to real-world laws and, thus, state power.<p>It's fascinating to see how quickly this smart contract experiment has turned into a struggle between these multiple levels of political power, with really nothing at all to do with the letter of the law as laid out in the contract. Well worth the price of admission, in my opinion.