AUTHOR=Bustamante Pedro , Cai Meina , Gomez Marcela , Harris Colin , Krishnamurthy Prashant , Law Wilson , Madison Michael J. , Murtazashvili Ilia , Murtazashvili Jennifer Brick , Mylovanov Tymofiy , Shapoval Nataliia , Vee Annette , Weiss Martin TITLE=Government by Code? Blockchain Applications to Public Sector Governance JOURNAL=Frontiers in Blockchain VOLUME=5 YEAR=2022 URL=https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/blockchain/articles/10.3389/fbloc.2022.869665 DOI=10.3389/fbloc.2022.869665 ISSN=2624-7852 ABSTRACT=

Studies of blockchain governance can be divided into analyses of the governance of blockchains (such as rules and power dynamics within a given network) and governance by blockchains (such as how blockchains can be implemented to improve self-governance of community-based peer production networks). Less emphasis has been placed on applications of distributed ledgers to public sector governance. Our review clarifies that the decentralization and distributive features that enable blockchains to link up loosely connected private organizations and public agencies to improve efficiency and transparency of government transactions. However, most blockchain applications lack clear advantages over the conventional digital recording of information. In addition, our review highlights that blockchain applications in public sector governance are potentially vast, though in most instances, the existing applications have not extended much beyond limited-scale pilots. We conclude with a call for the construction of indexes of public sector implementations of blockchains, as none yet exist, as well as for additional research to understand why governments have not deployed blockchains more widely.