Headline: Бутерин предлагает новую стратегию для борьбы с технологической концентрацией власти Translation: Buterin Proposes New Strategy to Combat Technological Concentration of Power

The safeguarding of society against the concentration of power is deemed the primary factor for secure technological advancement, according to Ethereum co-founder Vitalik Buterin.

In the article «Balance of Power,» the author identifies three centers of authority: the state, corporations, and uncontrolled civil society. The programmer believes that humanity values the progress facilitated by these institutions but is wary of their excessive domination.

The monopolization of power poses threats to personal freedoms and can lead to social instability and a «soulless» homogenization of culture.

Previously, this balance was preserved by two natural mechanisms:

*»If we envision a leader as a cheetah and the followers as turtles, the first force acts as the inner brake of the cheetah, while the second functions as an invisible spring propelling the turtle forward,” Buterin explained.»*

However, in the 21st century, both mechanisms have weakened due to globalization, automation, and the emergence of proprietary systems.

*»The result: the constraints on growth are increasing, while the diffusion of control is decreasing. Yes, the exchange of ideas on the internet has accelerated, but the genuine ability to influence key systems has become more centralized than ever,” the programmer emphasized.»*

As a solution, Buterin suggested the concept of «enforced diffusion»—the intentional spread of control over technologies. This toolkit includes the implementation of uniform standards (similar to USB-C in the European Union), abolishing non-compete agreements, and utilizing copyleft licenses.

A crucial component of the strategy should be «hostile interoperability.» This approach allows for the creation of products that operate on top of popular platforms, bypassing their limitations. This way, developers can reclaim control over the interface and restore power to users.

Implementation examples:

*»In the Web2 model, platforms capture value primarily through monopolies on the interface and user experience. Creating compatible yet alternative interfaces undermines this monopoly,» Buterin clarified.»*

He believes that decentralization is not just an abstract concept, but a practical principle that should be embedded in the platform’s architecture from the very beginning. The programmer stressed that developers should consider not only financing but also governance structures:

*»Any serious project must develop not only a business model for funding but also a decentralization model—mechanisms that prevent power from concentrating within the project and give rise to associated threats.»*

He cited the Lido pool as an example of intentional decentralization. Despite controlling 24% of staked ETH, it does not pose threats to the network due to its distributed governance through a DAO and numerous independent operators.

Buterin also highlighted the concept of d/acc—developing open defense technologies. He believes this approach enables the security of systems while avoiding total centralization.

It is worth noting that in October, Geth client developer Peter Siladji pointed out the concentration of power surrounding Ethereum’s co-founder. According to him, the rules of the entire ecosystem hinge on the programmer’s opinions.

At that time, the head of Polygon, Sandeep Nailwal, also expressed concerns about a loyalty crisis toward the leadership of the second most capitalized cryptocurrency, Ethereum.