Blockchain.jpg

From Distrust to Blockchain

Lately I’ve been asked a lot why the Blockchain was created in the first place, what is its conceptual motivation. In this series of articles, I will try to explain its origins and its fundamental motivations; therefore, fasten your seat belts.

What is distrust? We can try to define it, each one with their perception, but it should not be very different from what I have found in the Cambridge Dictionary: “Believing that someone is not good or honest, and that they can hurt me”.

Let us imagine a strong mistrust, based on experience rather than suspicion. Now we apply this distrust to certain information (a contract, a work, private data, etc.); therefore, we need to protect it from someone who is certainly going to fraudulently manipulate it for their interests (criminals, authoritarian governments, unscrupulous companies, rivals, etc.).

The first characteristic that we will look for will be to protect the integrity of the content of this information. We will call it immutability. This can be achieved by preventing the information from being tampered with (signed and guarded paper) or revealing easily whether it has been tampered with (digital world).

Although this information is immutable, while still intelligible, they can use it against us. What can we do? One possibility could be to hide it. Another possibility would be not to hide it, but to transform it so that its content is unintelligible to others. That is, encrypt it.

We feel very secure, but they can still destroy and replace this immutable and encrypted information. What else can we do? A good option might be to make enough copies and distribute them to people who don’t know each other or even ignore they have it. This is the option of decentralized information.

The same considerations due to distrust (immutability, encryption and decentralization), led a cryptographic mathematician at the University of Berkley, David Chaum, in 1982, to formalize a famous dissertation: “Computer Systems Established, Maintained, and Trusted by Mutually Suspicious Groups”. This dissertation is considered the birth of the Blockchain concept.

Reading the original dissertation, it is very surprising to note that most of the elements of the first Blockchain created 26 years later (Bitcoin), were already present in this very complete theoretical document. The description of this new system was so detailed that it included the programming code to implement it; To simplify, and forgive me if I am not very exact, this system consisted of connecting a series of “vaults” (safe) in a computer network, which guaranteed in the event of a malicious attack, the integrity of the data and mechanisms of self-destruction and subsequent reconstruction by authorized personnel with partial passwords.

Was David Chaum the only person with these kinds of concerns? It seems not. Have you ever heard the word Cypherpunk?

The first part of the Blockchain timeline ends here, if you want to know how this real story unfolds, stay tuned, see you in the next article.

In the meantime, have a look at the Virtual Machine for Ethereum Blockchain

You may also like…

Related products

It's your choice on Cookies
We use cookies on our website to give you the most relevant experience by remembering your preferences and repeat visits. By clicking “Accept”, you consent to the use of ALL the cookies. However, you may click "Cookie Settings" to provide a controlled consent or "Reject" to reject all unnecessary Cookies.
AcceptCookie Settings RejectRead More
Manage consent

Privacy Overview

This website uses cookies to improve your experience while you navigate through the website. Out of these, the cookies that are categorized as necessary are stored on your browser as they are essential for the working of basic functionalities of the website. We also use third-party cookies that help us analyze and understand how you use this website. These cookies will be stored in your browser only with your consent. You also have the option to opt-out of these cookies. But opting out of some of these cookies may affect your browsing experience.
Necessary
Always Enabled
Necessary cookies are absolutely essential for the website to function properly. These cookies ensure basic functionalities and security features of the website, anonymously.
CookieDurationDescription
cookielawinfo-checkbox-analytics11 monthsThis cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Analytics".
cookielawinfo-checkbox-functional11 monthsThe cookie is set by GDPR cookie consent to record the user consent for the cookies in the category "Functional".
cookielawinfo-checkbox-necessary11 monthsThis cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. The cookies is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Necessary".
cookielawinfo-checkbox-others11 monthsThis cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Other.
cookielawinfo-checkbox-performance11 monthsThis cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Performance".
viewed_cookie_policy11 monthsThe cookie is set by the GDPR Cookie Consent plugin and is used to store whether or not user has consented to the use of cookies. It does not store any personal data.
Functional
Functional cookies help to perform certain functionalities like sharing the content of the website on social media platforms, collect feedbacks, and other third-party features.
Performance
Performance cookies are used to understand and analyze the key performance indexes of the website which helps in delivering a better user experience for the visitors.
Analytics
Analytical cookies are used to understand how visitors interact with the website. These cookies help provide information on metrics the number of visitors, bounce rate, traffic source, etc.
Advertisement
Advertisement cookies are used to provide visitors with relevant ads and marketing campaigns. These cookies track visitors across websites and collect information to provide customized ads.
Others
Other uncategorized cookies are those that are being analyzed and have not been classified into a category as yet.
SAVE & ACCEPT