HavenCo and Sealand hitched their fates togther for a while, but the two had very different models. Sealand mostly just wants to be left alone, in proud independence, with its flag and its coins and its one-of-a-kind royal family. HavenCo, on the other hand, was supposed to reach out beyond Sealand, to inject its clients’ […]
Author Archive | James Grimmelmann, guest-blogging
Sealand and HavenCo Part IV: International Law and Sealand Law
Last time, I looked at HavenCo in terms of its losing battle with others nations’ laws. I closed by pointing out that HavenCo wasn’t anti-legal, just selectively legal. HavenCo needed Sealand to be an independent state under international law, and it needed Sealand law to permit its activities. Today, I’ll explain how these other bodies […]
Sealand and HavenCo Part III: Why Did HavenCo Fail?
Previously on Survivor: Sealand, I’ve discussed Sealand’s history and HavenCo’s rise and fall. Today, I’d like to move into Part III of my paper, and start thinking about what HavenCo’s experience means for the rule of law. In my Internet Law class, I teach the HavenCo story by giving my students a slightly fictionalized version […]
Sealand and HavenCo Part II: The Rise and Fall of HavenCo
Yesterday, I blogged about Part I of my new article, Sealand, HavenCo, and the Rule of Law, which chronicles Sealand’s quirky history. Today, I’ll pick up the story with Part II, which follows HavenCo’s founding, rise to fame, and slide back into obscurity. HavenCo’s founders, Sean Hastings and Ryan Lackey, were hardly the first to […]
Sealand and HavenCo Part I: The History of Sealand
As Eugene mentioned in his introduction, I’ll be talking about my new article, Sealand, HavenCo, and the Rule of Law (SSRN, BePress). Thanks to Eugene and his co-Conspirators for having me here. I can’t think of a better group to discuss it with than VC readers, since it hits on themes including government power versus […]