When you think about blockchain, what is the first thing that comes to mind? Thats right: cryptocurrency. While digital currency indeed is a very interesting application of this technology, there are so much more world changing applications for blockchain.
A few days ago something special happened in Sierra Leone. A country that through its history has been plagued by fraud and corruption, was able to organize fair and transparant presidential elections thanks to blockchain technology.
For the first time in the history of the country, more than two candidates had a significant chance of winning the elections.
Let that sink in..
This event marks a huge step towards improving the democratic process in countries that have been the victim of electoral fraud and manipulation. It is relatively easy to threaten and bribe the people in charge of counting the votes, threatening a blockchain though is practically impossible.
Thanks to the transparency of the technology it is also no longer possible to simply communicate false election results to the people.
This takes away a powerful weapon out of the hands of dictators who keep these countries in their grasp purely in their self interest. The possibility to organize fair and transparant elections gives third-world countries the opportunity to blossom and elect a government that fights for their country instead of for themselves.
Blockchain might not be the ultimate solution to facilitate a perfect democracy, though it does form an important part of this solution. The possibility to organize fair and transparant elections means that seemingly unbreakable barriers have been broken.
We are in the dawn of the new age of democracy!