Excellent comment.

``I reckon this is primarily the reason behind much of the regulatory impact on what technology is permitted": Agreed.

``As the technological advantage of individuals grows, either the states suppress technology (demonstrably happening presently) or lose power..." Yes, this is exactly what is happening. And trying to get the leading actors in states excited about technology that benefits individuals more than themselves is highly unlikely. The leading in actors in states, just like the lobbies that largely determine what they do, have what Mancur Olson called "narrow" interest.

A more free society consists of individuals who are capable of outproducing their unfree counterparts, and in the mode permission was never really asked. In the mode: if permission had to be asked, it was not granted. Individuals asking had no recourse to being told No, and had no bargaining power, and nothing changed. That's primarily what's shown by economic history.