What is Consensus: Rules without Rulers

Who is in charge of Bitcoin? Why is it so hard to change the rules? The governance model of Bitcoin, where there can be transparent and neutral rules without rulers, without regulators, is confusing to most people. It is a natural human inclination not only to appeal to authority but to see the absence of a leader as an invitation, a "job opening." Bitcoin has resisted this for nine years, but it is still immature and trying to find its potential. What the failure of SegWit2x demonstrated was not that this group one and that group lost, but that consensus is an overwhelming majority system. Without it, you are unlikely to succeed. The question is not whether we will scale, but how. The battles we've faced so far are tiny compared to what lies ahead. The choice you all make between convenience and liberty, between safety and freedom, will open up opportunities for billions tomorrow. Chapters 0:00 Rules without rulers 2:32 If you don't have overwhelming majority to change the rules, the system ensures that the rules remain the same 5:05 Regulations 9:44 A test of democracy, self-determination, freedom of expression and freedom of association 11:10 Open blockchain potential 13:01 Scalability 20:05 There are many people who want to take the role of ruler 24:03 People who participate in this systems today are at risk 25:24 Why need bitcoin? This talk took place at the Swedish Bitcoin Association event on November 19th 2017 in Stockholm, Sweden: http://www.bitcoinforeningen.se/ RELATED: Bitcoin for Beginners -    • Bitcoin for Beginners Playlist: Intro to B...   Decentralized Truth -    • Decentralized Truth   Open Blockchains for Cashless Developed Economies -    • Open Blockchains for Cashless Developed Ec...   Money as a System-of-Control -    • Cryptocurrency Explained: Money as a Syste...   Worse Than Useless: Financial Surveillance -    • Worse than Useless: Financial Surveillance   Fake News, Fake Money -    • Fake News, Fake Money - Classic Bitcoin Talk   Delivering Liberty, at Scale -    • Delivering Liberty, at Scale   Hardware, Software, Trustware -    • Hardware, Software, Trustware   Forkology: A Study of Forks for Newbies -    • Forkology: A Study of Forks for Newbies   Decentralized power, leaderless governance -    • Bitcoin Q&A: Decentralized Power, Leaderle...   The Switzerland of currencies -    • Bitcoin Q&A: The Switzerland of Currencies   HODLing and the "get free" scheme -    • Bitcoin Q&A: HODLing and the "Get Free" Sc...   Why developers are leaving banks -    • Bitcoin Q&A: Why Developers are Leaving Banks   Andreas M. Antonopoulos is a technologist and serial entrepreneur who has become one of the most well-known and respected figures in bitcoin. Follow on Twitter: @aantonop   / aantonop   Website: https://antonopoulos.com/ He is the author of two books: “Mastering Bitcoin,” published by O’Reilly Media and considered the best technical guide to bitcoin; “The Internet of Money,” a book about why bitcoin matters. Highlights of IoM Volume 2:    • Video   THE INTERNET OF MONEY, v1: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Internet-Mon... [NEW] THE INTERNET OF MONEY, v2: https://www.amazon.com/Internet-Money... MASTERING BITCOIN: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Mastering-Bi... [NEW] MASTERING BITCOIN, 2nd Edition: https://www.amazon.com/Mastering-Bitc... Subscribe to the channel to learn more about Bitcoin & open blockchains! If you want early-access to talks and a chance to participate in a monthly LIVE Q&A with Andreas, become a patron:   / aantonop   Videography: BitJoin (https://bitjoin.me/) Music: "Unbounded" by Orfan (  / orfan  ) Outro Graphics: Phneep (http://www.phneep.com/) Outro Art: Rock Barcellos (http://www.rockincomics.com.br/) Join the aantonop Channel: https://aantonop.io/joinaantonopyt