Originally published October 28, 2019 — Remastered September 29, 2025
Introduction
This post was first written on the 101st anniversary of the foundation of the First Czechoslovak Republic. It captured my conviction that sovereignty is not maintained by catering to global giants, but by empowering the many builders who together carry resilience. The original was written in the heat of frustration, but the essence remains timeless. Here it is again, lightly polished, with the specifics generalized — the lesson still stands.
The Reflection (October 28th, 2019, remastered)
Today we are celebrating 101 years since the First Republic was founded. I guess our Czech brothers also enjoyed a public holiday.
When the First Republic is mentioned, among other things, I think of the fact that we were — to use today's vocabulary — a nation full of startups and entrepreneurs.
Business was done by many small entrepreneurs. We had no big corporations as we know them today. Tomáš Baťa's factories existed, but I wouldn’t call them a corporation per se.
The country was going up economically even though there were few of us. Today, Israel fulfills such a role, but we no longer do.
Today, after more than 100 years, only the memory of those times remains. In the Czech Republic, at least I can see that small businessmen are still somehow functioning. Certainly to a much greater extent than in our country. In Slovakia, it is much rarer. Here, when I say that I make a living as an independent creator, people are amazed that it's possible. You can... just not in Slovakia.
And what does the state do? It gives concessions worth millions to a foreign IT company that otherwise would not have entered the market. In a market where all the developers who can speak English are long employed in companies around the city. For all of our money, this will distort the market even more.
How about we start building our self-sufficiency again by building on that tradition? What if self-employed entrepreneurs were exempted from paying social and health contributions for the first year and social contributions (without proof of income) for the second year? I know that I would certainly find such a measure helpful, and I'm probably not alone.
I would consider the money spent in this way to be real 'value for money' with a potentially big impact in the right direction.
Such measures would also motivate others to try entrepreneurship. And it's a good school. Even if they don't succeed, they will already be looking at their paycheck differently. Believe me, I'm speaking from my own experience.
Closing Reflection
When I wrote this in 2019, I was angry. Today, I stand more calm but more convinced: the instinct was right. Sovereignty depends on supporting the builders. Ravenville follows the same principle — many creators, resilient together, never dependent on a single benefactor. That is why this reflection belongs in the Mythic Vault.
In late September 2025, the Slovak government announced so-called "consolidation measures" aimed at raising extra revenue. Sadly, the law was passed. From January 1st, 2026, many small business owners in Slovakia will be forced to shut down their businesses because taxation and mandatory fees will become so drastic that unemployment becomes more rational than independence. I face this problem myself: I want to work, but the monthly fees are devastating.
Instead of fostering sovereignty by empowering small business owners and independent creators, the state is crushing the very people who are most productive, innovative, and resilient. This is not only short-sighted economic policy — it is the erosion of sovereignty itself.
Most of my archival reflections live in the paywalled Mythic Vault. This one, I’m sharing openly because its message is urgent and timeless.
