Defining Decentralisation in Permissionless Blockchain Systems
The term decentralised as a description of the architecture, operation, and governance of permissionless blockchain systems has become ubiquitous. However, in these contexts, the term decentralised has no clear definition. Blockchain ecosystems are complex, and thus it is essential to address confu...
| Main Authors: | , , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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LINK Centre, School of Literature Language and Media (SLLM)
2022-06-01
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| Series: | The African Journal of Information and Communication |
| Online Access: | https://ajic.wits.ac.za/article/view/14247 |
| _version_ | 1811158339711664128 |
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| author | Riaan Bezuidenhout Wynand Nel Jacques Maritz |
| author_facet | Riaan Bezuidenhout Wynand Nel Jacques Maritz |
| author_sort | Riaan Bezuidenhout |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description |
The term decentralised as a description of the architecture, operation, and governance of permissionless blockchain systems has become ubiquitous. However, in these contexts, the term decentralised has no clear definition. Blockchain ecosystems are complex, and thus it is essential to address confusion among stakeholders about their nature and promote understanding of the intentions and consequences of their implementation. This article offers a theoretical definition of the term decentralised in the context of permissionless blockchain systems. It is proposed that five inextricable and interconnected aspects are required, at a minimum, to warrant a claim that a permissionless blockchain system is decentralised. These aspects are disintermediation, a peer-to-peer network, a distributed blockchain data structure, algorithmic trust, and open-source principles. The relationship between the five aspects is discussed, and it is argued that decentralisation is not binary but exists on a spectrum. Any variation in one or more aspects may impact the system’s decentralised nature as a whole. The researchers identify areas where further investigation in this field is required and propose instances where the knowledge garnered may be used.
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| first_indexed | 2024-04-10T05:22:51Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-c4d98585360f4809bfa12cb1287c1e42 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2077-7205 2077-7213 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-04-10T05:22:51Z |
| publishDate | 2022-06-01 |
| publisher | LINK Centre, School of Literature Language and Media (SLLM) |
| record_format | Article |
| series | The African Journal of Information and Communication |
| spelling | doaj.art-c4d98585360f4809bfa12cb1287c1e422023-03-08T06:31:42ZengLINK Centre, School of Literature Language and Media (SLLM)The African Journal of Information and Communication2077-72052077-72132022-06-012910.23962/ajic.i29.14247Defining Decentralisation in Permissionless Blockchain SystemsRiaan Bezuidenhout0Wynand Nel1Jacques Maritz2Department of Computer Science and Informatics, University of the Free State, Bloemfontein, South AfricaDepartment of Computer Science and Informatics, University of the Free State, Bloemfontein, South Africa Department of Engineering Sciences, University of the Free State, Bloemfontein, South Africa The term decentralised as a description of the architecture, operation, and governance of permissionless blockchain systems has become ubiquitous. However, in these contexts, the term decentralised has no clear definition. Blockchain ecosystems are complex, and thus it is essential to address confusion among stakeholders about their nature and promote understanding of the intentions and consequences of their implementation. This article offers a theoretical definition of the term decentralised in the context of permissionless blockchain systems. It is proposed that five inextricable and interconnected aspects are required, at a minimum, to warrant a claim that a permissionless blockchain system is decentralised. These aspects are disintermediation, a peer-to-peer network, a distributed blockchain data structure, algorithmic trust, and open-source principles. The relationship between the five aspects is discussed, and it is argued that decentralisation is not binary but exists on a spectrum. Any variation in one or more aspects may impact the system’s decentralised nature as a whole. The researchers identify areas where further investigation in this field is required and propose instances where the knowledge garnered may be used. https://ajic.wits.ac.za/article/view/14247 |
| spellingShingle | Riaan Bezuidenhout Wynand Nel Jacques Maritz Defining Decentralisation in Permissionless Blockchain Systems The African Journal of Information and Communication |
| title | Defining Decentralisation in Permissionless Blockchain Systems |
| title_full | Defining Decentralisation in Permissionless Blockchain Systems |
| title_fullStr | Defining Decentralisation in Permissionless Blockchain Systems |
| title_full_unstemmed | Defining Decentralisation in Permissionless Blockchain Systems |
| title_short | Defining Decentralisation in Permissionless Blockchain Systems |
| title_sort | defining decentralisation in permissionless blockchain systems |
| url | https://ajic.wits.ac.za/article/view/14247 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT riaanbezuidenhout definingdecentralisationinpermissionlessblockchainsystems AT wynandnel definingdecentralisationinpermissionlessblockchainsystems AT jacquesmaritz definingdecentralisationinpermissionlessblockchainsystems |