The Democracy to Come? An Enquiry Into the Vision of Blockchain-Powered E-Voting Start-Ups

Abstract

This research sets out to analyze the message promoted by start-up enterprises that apply blockchain technologies for the purpose of e-voting [blockchain-powered e-voting (BPE)], and their perceived effects of this technological solution on democratic outcomes. Employing Norman Fairclough’s critical discourse analysis (CDA), I examined the written output of seven BPE start-ups (Agora, DemocracyEarth, Follow My Vote, Polys, Voatz, Votem, and VoteWatcher), as displayed in their websites. The close attention of CDA to power relations brought out relevant topics of discussion for analysis. Notably, these included: voting as an expression of democracy; technological determinism; individual versus communitarian understandings of democracy; the prominence of neoliberalism and the economic sphere; and technological literacy. Findings from the literature suggest that the assumptions of BPE start-ups about a blockchain-powered democracy diverge from widely accepted understandings of democracy. BPE start-ups envision a democracy determined by positions and institutions of power, by the technologically able, and by economic interests. This research argues that this conception of democracy disempowers voters from any form of decision-making regarding how democracy is run beyond their expression in the form of a vote decided by these established powers. The widespread addresses to existing elites to enable BPE, as well as what is left unsaid about community, collective rights and the not so technologically literate population, imply that BPE developers display concern for one particular expression among the many diverse and heterogeneous understandings of democracy, while disregarding outstanding privacy, security and accountability concerns associated to implementations of the technology for BPE. This work is a contribution to much needed research on technology and democracy’s deepening intersections, at a time of rapid technological innovation and turbulent democratic scepticism.

Upaya Partai Politik Dalam Memanfaatkan Demokrasi Virtual Di Era Digital

“…Di era sebelumnya, aspirasi masyarakat dilakukan ketika periode kampanye kandidat wakil rakyat tertentu dengan mekanisme penyampaian proses surat menyurat. Dengan demikian hadirnya TIK dan internet sebagai media demokrasi elektronik (e-democracy) dalam proses demokrasi, masyarakat lebih leluasa dan lebih lantang dalam menyampaikan aspirasi terkait wakil parpol yang akan dipilihnya (Imperial, 2021;Indianto et al, 2021;Mensah, 2020;Fatah & Fatani, 2019).…”

“…Secara sederhana beberapa bentuk pemanfaatan teknologi informasi maupun kebutuhan komunikasi bagi masyarakat luas sebagai bentuk e-literacy yang efektif. Selain itu dorongan bagi masyarakat untuk mempergunakan fasilitas e-vote dalam menyampaikan pendapat ataupun aspirasi, pandangan maupun bentuk dukungan bagi wakilnya melalui jaringan media internet (Zhang et al, 2022;Imperial, 2021;Lee, 2021;Safitri, 2019). Kesuksesan e-vote tergantung dari kemampuan masyarakatnya yang melek teknologi yang tinggi serta dapat menggunakan fasilitas internet, telepon, mdia digital lainnya dalam menyampaikan berbagai pandangan, aspirasi serta dukungan bagi organisasi parpol peserta pemilu.…”