logo
logo
Sign in

How Can Cryptocurrencies (and Blockchain) Help Strengthen Democracy?

avatar
Libra Ecosystem
How Can Cryptocurrencies (and Blockchain) Help Strengthen Democracy?

Democracy refers to a system where the leaders are elected by the people of the country. The idea behind democracy is to empower people to choose their leaders or who will lead them in the future. In a way, both democracy and cryptocurrencies are working towards the same goal - to empower common people.

While democracy gives the power to people to elect their leaders, cryptocurrencies empower people to control their digital transactions and assets. And there are ways in which the use of cryptocurrencies and blockchain technology can even help empower democracy and uplift the way governments work.


How blockchain impacts democracy


Blockchain is the technology behind cryptocurrencies, which are digital currencies that allow people to send and receive money. The thing about cryptocurrencies is that they are unregulated and therefore not governed/controlled by centralised entities such as the government or banks. In other words, cryptocurrencies can be used for cross-border payments without the need for intermediaries. Now, the power of cryptocurrencies can be used both for good and bad.


When used for good, blockchain and crypto can help empower the economy by making cross-border transactions quicker, more secure and efficient. Here’s how.


Cryptocurrency for Democracy


1. Blockchain for elections:

While elections are a means for people to elect their leaders, there has always been a kind of mistrust among people in the credibility and authenticity of elections. The probability of fraud in election results is always there. The inclusion of blockchain can help bring fairness and transparency to elections. Transactions and data on a blockchain are permanent and cannot be forged.

Moreover, blockchain can enable everyone in every corner of the world to use their right to vote, as the technology is not restricted by physical borders.


2. Secured governance

The use of blockchain to store and manage official records can be a breeze for the government, as this will help ensure higher security of the documents and prevent any unauthorised access or use. Moreover, all transactions and records on a blockchain are public, which will make it easier for officials to collaborate when working on a project.


3. More power to activists

In a democracy, people should have the power to speak when something is wrong. However, their voices are often oppressed by ruling parties and records/proofs destroyed, especially in many developing and under-developed nations. The inclusion of blockchain in governance will help ensure no such instances take place and people continue to have the ultimate power, even more than the government itself.


Cryptocurrencies like Libra Coin can give more financial power and freedom to common people, making it easier for them to access basic financial services like digital payments, e-commerce, etc. from wherever they are in the world. This will eventually help people grow, both financially and morally, which, in turn, will empower democracy. As the growth of democracy is directly linked with the growth of its people, blockchain will help people and democracies grow simultaneously.


With India being one of the fastest growing economies in the world, people here are ready to adopt blockchain technology and cryptocurrencies into their daily lives in order to uplift the way everything from basic monetary transactions to business activities and government ventures are performed. As blockchain brings transparency to governance, it can help make democracy more powerful.


Originally published at https://medium.com/

collect
0
avatar
Libra Ecosystem
guide
Zupyak is the world’s largest content marketing community, with over 400 000 members and 3 million articles. Explore and get your content discovered.
Read more