Vitalik: Blockchain can be used as a defense against the "efficiency" of authoritarian regimes

The latest episode of the Bankless podcast discussed the potential advantages of 21st century authoritarian regimes. Economist Noah Smith and Ethereum co-founder Vitalik Buterin explained the potential of blockchain to enhance democratic resilience through secure, anonymous communication and verifiable voting. Vitalik Buterin emphasized the concept of the information environment as a "war of all against all" in Thomas Hobbes's theory, and the potential for monopolistic control of the narrative to become the only stable equilibrium. This metaphor highlights the potential for authoritarian regimes to use the internet for data aggregation, turning a tool intended to empower freedom into one that strengthens central control.