As a survivor of the Nazi occupation of his native country during World War II, Peter Bos is acutely aware of what it means not to be free and of the extent of the violence and destruction that politically democratic nation states are capable of inflicting. As a result, he early on became interested in individual sovereignty and freedom. In 2008, he received the Freedom Award for excellence in epistemological contributions to the science of freedom in recognition of his work on the development of proprietary natural government, based upon the concept of using insurance for the protection of life and property.