Blockchain technology has the potential to transform government

[blckhawk]

One of the potential application of blockchain would be in voting, that way there's going to be no way that the votes can be doubled, tampered or even zombie voters are added to the system, that's the potential use that I can think of when it comes to blockchain on government operations. But I don't think that we're ever going to see those applications anytime soon, I think most of the governments around the world don't like the idea of using an advance system plus they know that they're going to pay a really big amount of money for it and the government don't like the idea of spending too much. So for now, we can only hope that we'll see an application of blockchain in the government.

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[legiteum]

One of the potential application of blockchain would be in voting, that way there's going to be no way that the votes can be doubled, tampered or even zombie voters are added to the system, that's the potential use that I can think of when it comes to blockchain on government operations. But I don't think that we're ever going to see those applications anytime soon, I think most of the governments around the world don't like the idea of using an advance system plus they know that they're going to pay a really big amount of money for it and the government don't like the idea of spending too much. So for now, we can only hope that we'll see an application of blockchain in the government.

So every single voter would be required to hold a private key that could be physically lost or stolen? That sounds like it would create more problems, not fewer since you'd be dealing with anonymous private keys that could never be traced, by definition, to an actual voter.

And if you are making all voters hold a private key, why especially would you implement this system with... blockchain? Just keep a database of public keys with the vote along side of it. You don't need any sort of "chain" here.

And then there's the problem that blockchain doesn't scale when it's not centralized (centralized blockchain being a pointless oxymoron). Could you imagine every single voter waiting 30 minutes for their vote to be stored? One election would take a year.

A government, by definition, is a centralized thing. Decentralized architectures gain their advantage principally in evading governments and central authorities. (This is why blockchain doesn't work for companies either).

[pooya87]

And then there's the problem that blockchain doesn't scale when it's not centralized (centralized blockchain being a pointless oxymoron). Could you imagine every single voter waiting 30 minutes for their vote to be stored? One election would take a year.

Time between blocks, or confirmation speed doesn't necessarily have to be a certain value (30 min, 10 min, 1 sec). It can be anything you set it to and it depends on the mining algorithm used in that blockchain.

Another fundamental issue with the idea of voting using blockchain is: how would you limit one private key per person?! The nature of things as they are, is that you can create as many keys as you want and the key space is virtually limitless. So I could create a million keys for example and cast a million votes!
If we add a centralized entity that issues the keys and limits it to one per person then we are at square one: why use blockchain in first place

[dezoel]

The technology is useful and they can use it for sure, but for those who might be thinking that if governments use blockchain technology, things will start to become decentralized then it's not true. Even if they adapt the technology, and start using it for projects and stuff, they will try and create their versions of it that will be completely centralized and under their control where they can broadcast or delete blocks in the blockchain and manipulate the data whenever they want, otherwise, what's the point?

Do you think that governments are against Bitcoin or cryptocurrencies because they don't like the technology? Even they know how useful it can be, what they dislike is the decentralization which makes them lose control and they can't accept and digest that which is why they are hesitant and are always doing their best to either keep them away from people or regulate them as much as possible.

[legiteum]

The technology is useful and they can use it for sure, but for those who might be thinking that if governments use blockchain technology, things will start to become decentralized then it's not true. Even if they adapt the technology, and start using it for projects and stuff, they will try and create their versions of it that will be completely centralized and under their control where they can broadcast or delete blocks in the blockchain and manipulate the data whenever they want, otherwise, what's the point?

Do you think that governments are against Bitcoin or cryptocurrencies because they don't like the technology? Even they know how useful it can be, what they dislike is the decentralization which makes them lose control and they can't accept and digest that which is why they are hesitant and are always doing their best to either keep them away from people or regulate them as much as possible.

Read the thread. It has nothing to do with governments being "threatened". It simply doesn't work in practical terms.

[harapan]

Researchers and practitioners have demonstrated that the benefits of blockchain and distributed ledgers aren’t limited to cryptocurrencies such as Bitcoin.  

How possible is this ?

Quote from: https://blogs.worldbank.org/governance/blockchain-technology-has-potential-transform-government-first-we-need-build-trust

Blockchain is more like a manual or guide to bitcoin;If you must know have bitcoin,you must know how to control,access and own bitcoin,then you must have understood and studied the blockchain network.Bitcoin is the name of the best-known cryptocurrency,and blockchain is the technology that works behind the existence of bitcoin.i.e,bitcoin was the reason why the blockchain network was created.

Yes,bitcoin Is based on the blockchain network,its just like the symbiotic relationship that exists between two living organisms in biology,where both organisms benefit from each other support,interaction and existence.
 The same theory applies also to bitcoin and blockchain,blockchain is the backbone to bitcoin and these digital network are inseparable because they work hand in hand with each other.
 If blockchain has the capacity to transform the government,then it should be the security and transparency sectors that needs thorough sensitization.But the problem is you cannot use a poison remedy to cure malaria,or you can't use the healing treatment of yeast infections to treat HIV/AIDS...lolz.There's no clue as to if blockchain can help the governments lapses.Blockchain works best for what it was created for and that's bitcoin.It'll be unexciting to abuse the blockchain network.

[stompix]

Technology that resemble blockchain already exist since late 90s. But on other hand, i wonder since when they use blockchain. I haven't done through research, but it looks like they create their own distributed immutable system since 2007, but later decide to call it blockchain.

The project started in 2007, it went online in different stages but it was called blockchain since being released to the public.
But again, the naming wouldn't have mattered even if they would have chosen another name, say keychain or something because if we go by the basics it's a blockchain, not decentralized but truly a blockchain storing hashes of personal data instead of transactions.

It simply doesn't work in practical terms.

We have one country that has been using it for almost two decades, now and you still it doesn't work?

Yes,bitcoin Is based on the blockchain network,its just like the symbiotic relationship that exists between two living organisms in biology,where both organisms benefit from each other support,interaction and existence.

Nothing like that, blockchains can exist without bitcoin, bitcoin can't exist without a blockchain.

[Kruw]

"Blockchain technology has the potential to transform government"

No, it has the potential to eliminate government, which is far better.

[southerngentuk]

The "blockchain, not Bitcoin" phase of 2018. A time of unbridled enthusiasm and, let's be honest, a touch of naivety. Everyone wanted a piece of the blockchain pie, and the possibilities seemed endless. But were they all just chasing the Bitcoin dream in disguise?

Sure, some ideas were probably misguided, fueled by the hype rather than a deep understanding of the technology. But to say blockchain has no merit outside of cryptocurrency would be throwing the baby out with the bathwater.

Instead of focusing on the lost hype, let's shift our gaze towards concrete applications. Where can blockchain truly shine and revolutionize existing systems?

[yhiaali3]

Of course, Blockchain can be used in many governmental and non-governmental fields, whether in medicine, education, pharmacy, chemistry, and many other fields, not only in the field of cryptocurrencies.

But the problem with Blockchain is that it is completely decentralized and transparent, and this does not suit governments because there is some sensitive information in some areas that they do not want to share with the public, so I expect that they will prevent the use of Blockchain in areas that they do not want to make completely available to the public.

[legiteum]

We have one country that has been using it for almost two decades, now and you still it doesn't work?

There's a country that's been using blockchain before blockchain existed? Impressive. Which country is that?

[pooya87]

"Blockchain technology has the potential to transform government"

No, it has the potential to eliminate government, which is far better.

Government is not some word or an abstract idea that you can eliminate with a database! It's a structure, a system that is governing the society with all its shortcomings, flaws and possible corruptions. Blockchain is just a database.

[Kruw]

Government is not some word or an abstract idea that you can eliminate with a database! It's a structure, a system that is governing the society with all its shortcomings, flaws and possible corruptions. Blockchain is just a database.

Governments only exist thanks to taxation and inflation. Bitcoin is inherently immune to these forms of theft, so full adoption of Bitcoin eliminates governments.

[stompix]

We have one country that has been using it for almost two decades, now and you still it doesn't work?

There's a country that's been using blockchain before blockchain existed? Impressive. Which country is that?

The blockchain was not invented from scratch by Satoshi.
The concept dates from 1982 or 1991 depending on what you want to credit as true blockchain and there is one running 13 years before Satoshi:
https://www.vice.com/en/article/j5nzx4/what-was-the-first-blockchain

As for the govemermnt one, I've already mentioned it, started in 2007, still working flawlessly
https://e-estonia.com/solutions/cyber-security/ksi-blockchain/

[shield132]

Researchers and practitioners have demonstrated that the benefits of blockchain and distributed ledgers aren’t limited to cryptocurrencies such as Bitcoin.  

How possible is this ?

Quote from: https://blogs.worldbank.org/governance/blockchain-technology-has-potential-transform-government-first-we-need-build-trust

Yes, blockchain technologies have the potential and have been proven to bring benefits to the people and the government and add an extra layer of protection to the data. For example, the Republic of Georgian and BitFury signed an agreement years ago that BitFury would implement blockchain technologies in many areas and one of the most successful one is a land registry on Blockchain. This guarantees that no one will be able to modify the stored data and customers can feel safe.
Blockchain technologies really are one of the most innovative and beneficial inventions of recent years. They can successfully be implemented in healthcare and as far as I am aware, there is a discussion about that among BitFury and some hospitals.

[legiteum]

The blockchain was not invented from scratch by Satoshi.
The concept dates from 1982 or 1991 depending on what you want to credit as true blockchain and there is one running 13 years before Satoshi:
https://www.vice.com/en/article/j5nzx4/what-was-the-first-blockchain

As for the govemermnt one, I've already mentioned it, started in 2007, still working flawlessly
https://e-estonia.com/solutions/cyber-security/ksi-blockchain/

Very interesting.

KSI is a centralized system that encrypts data inside of its servers using customer-held private keys. I guess you could call that "blockchain" but it's not the blockchain concept most people are aware of today.

For me, KSI actually underscores how much the post-Satoshi approach to blockchain (decentralized) does not work. I already know this based on my experience with high-scale architecture, but this is yet another piece of empirical evidence.