1. The invisible politics of Bitcoin: governance crisis of a decentralised infrastructure
- Author
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Primavera De Filippi, Benjamin Loveluck, Centre d'Etudes et de Recherches de Sciences Administratives et Politiques (CERSA), Université Panthéon-Assas (UP2)-Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS), Sociologie Information-Communication Design (SID), Institut interdisciplinaire de l’innovation (I3, une unité mixte de recherche CNRS (UMR 9217)), École polytechnique (X)-Télécom ParisTech-MINES ParisTech - École nationale supérieure des mines de Paris, Université Paris sciences et lettres (PSL)-Université Paris sciences et lettres (PSL)-Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS)-École polytechnique (X)-Télécom ParisTech-MINES ParisTech - École nationale supérieure des mines de Paris, Université Paris sciences et lettres (PSL)-Université Paris sciences et lettres (PSL)-Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS), Département Sciences Economiques et Sociales (SES), Télécom ParisTech, European Project: 610961, De Filippi, Primavera, Dubois (Frédéric), Centre d'études et de recherches de science administrative (CERSA), Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS)-Institut Cujas, Université Panthéon-Assas (UP2)-Université Panthéon-Assas (UP2), Institut interdisciplinaire de l’innovation de Telecom Paris (I3 SES), Télécom ParisTech-Institut interdisciplinaire de l’innovation (I3), Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS)-Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS)-Télécom ParisTech-Institut interdisciplinaire de l’innovation (I3), and Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS)-Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS)
- Subjects
Internet Policy ,[SHS.DROIT] Humanities and Social Sciences/Law ,Computer Networks and Communications ,online governance ,[SHS.INFO]Humanities and Social Sciences/Library and information sciences ,Internet privacy ,Financial intermediary ,Social Sciences ,Payment system ,050801 communication & media studies ,Management, Monitoring, Policy and Law ,050905 science studies ,Computer security ,computer.software_genre ,Commerce, communications & transportation ,regulation by code ,peer-to-peer networks ,Internet governance ,0508 media and communications ,[SHS.DROIT]Humanities and Social Sciences/Law ,Blockchain ,lcsh:Information theory ,[SHS.SOCIO]Humanities and Social Sciences/Sociology ,business.industry ,Communication ,Corporate governance ,05 social sciences ,lcsh:Q300-390 ,Technocracy ,Peer-to-peer (P2P) ,Cryptographic protocol ,lcsh:Q350-390 ,[SHS.SCIPO]Humanities and Social Sciences/Political science ,ddc:380 ,Computer science, knowledge & systems ,ddc:340 ,Currency ,Political economy ,Power structure ,ddc:000 ,ddc:300 ,0509 other social sciences ,business ,lcsh:Cybernetics ,computer ,Bitcoin - Abstract
International audience; Bitcoin is a decentralised currency and payment system that seeks to eliminate the need for trusted authorities. It relies on a peer-to-peer network and cryptographic protocols to perform the functions of traditional financial intermediaries, such as verifying transactions and preserving the integrity of the system. This article examines the political economy of Bitcoin, in light of a recent dispute that divided the Bitcoin community with regard to a seemingly simple technical issue: whether or not to increase the block size of the Bitcoin blockchain. By looking at the socio-technical constructs of Bitcoin, the article distinguishes between two distinct coordination mechanisms: governance by the infrastructure (achieved via the Bitcoin protocol) and governance of the infrastructure (managed by the community of developers and other stakeholders). It then analyses the invisible politics inherent in these two mechanisms, which together display a highly technocratic power structure. On the one hand, as an attempt to be self-governing and self-sustaining, the Bitcoin network exhibits a strong market-driven approach to social trust and coordination, which has been embedded directly into the technical protocol. On the other hand, despite being an open source project, the development and maintenance of the Bitcoin code ultimately relies on a small core of highly skilled developers who play a key role in the design of the platform. Teaser: As a trustless technology, Bitcoin tries to solve issues of social coordination and economic exchange by relying, only and exclusively, on technological means. Yet, when looking deeper into the governance structure of this technology, it becomes apparent that technology alone is unable to resolve most of the social and political concerns affecting the Bitcoin network.
- Published
- 2016
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