Zhu Yan, a professor at Tsinghua SEM, blockchain technology can contribute to global governance

01

The emergence of blockchain has its inevitability

In 2008, a group of programmers in Silicon Valley found a topic worth discussing: how to use technology to make each other more equal. After a decade of exploration and evolution, this simple idea has resulted in a blockchain that is highly likely to overturn the existing Internet framework. One of the characteristics of blockchain technology is to ensure data exchange trustworthiness through technical endorsement, which greatly reduces the cost of trust. But this technology is not a void, but a specific stage in the gradual development of the Internet.

Professor Zhu Yan, Dean of the Internet Industry Research Institute of Tsinghua University, said that the blockchain was born with the dream of science and technology workers. They tried to turn the point-to-point algorithm into a social governance path to achieve a more equal society. Therefore, it can be said that the development of blockchain is not a technical route, but an ideological route.

From the perspective of the entire development of the Internet, it can be divided into three stages. At the beginning of the century, the data was not connected, so the TCP/IP network communication model appeared, which solved the problem of “data segmentation”. In the second stage, in order to achieve data interconnection, a data exchange standard must be established. So at this time, the markup language html solved the problem of "entity splitting". Today's Internet boom comes from this; but at this time there is a problem that is not solved, that is, the transaction information has low credibility, so in the third stage The blockchain is to solve the problem of "trust segmentation". It can be seen that with the continuous pursuit of human form for the development of new society, blockchain technology is an inevitable product in this process, and based on this technology, a new system of social governance has been formed.

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Professor Zhu also mentioned that the blockchain cannot solve all problems. From a technology to social governance is a complicated process. He also needs more technology and personnel to participate in the coordinated development. Now it can be trusted. It is a great progress.

02

The industry is still in the embryonic stage of entrepreneurship

In the past two years, the term “blockchain” has appeared at a high frequency, and related entrepreneurial projects have sprung up. It seems that the blockchain industry is maturing, but Professor Zhu believes that the industry’s maturity should be the Internet giant. The strategic layout was completed on the blockchain, and it is still in its infancy.

Looking back on the past of blockchain, Bitcoin can be said to be the first successful application case. Bitcoin proves that a group of people can form a more equal and credible system through a consensus mechanism; later Ethereum and various stable coins, based on the social attributes of money, fully exerted a consensus mechanism – The "coin" recognized by a group of people has its corresponding value, which is a very meaningful attempt. But this is just the beginning. There are countless social scenes in human society that are worth exploring and trying. Now people have realized that the blockchain has a huge change in the bottom layer of a social group, but if it is to be applied in various fields, it will require a broader consensus from all walks of life.

In the view of Professor Zhu, from the second half of 2017 to the beginning of 2019, the impact of blockchain technology has not been clear, but now, the state and large enterprises are constantly raising their attention and input to the industry, and everyone’s consensus is clearer. Will further promote the landing of related applications. At the same time, since the attribute of the blockchain to solve the trust problem is most suitable for the financial field, the application of the blockchain around the big probability is the first to play a role in the financial field.

03

Breakthroughs in blockchain technology have made society more fair

Since the emergence of blockchain technology, it has been given the hope of "changing human society." Professor Zhu believes that this change is certain, but it still takes a certain amount of time. The degree of change depends on the depth of the combination of technology and human society. In addition, the blockchain technology itself has a process of gradual deepening. Only by answering basic questions such as “the contradiction between decentralization and efficiency”, it is possible to make breakthrough progress in application.

Referring to the future of blockchain technology, Professor Zhu Yan gave some judgments.

First, the existing Internet infrastructure will be subverted. A distributed Internet will make the whole information link environment more fair. Secondly, breakthroughs will be made in commercial applications. The blockchain will reduce the cost of trust at least in finance. And the insurance industry will play a big role; finally, blockchain technology will contribute to global governance, which is also the significance of the blockchain "change."

Professor Zhu believes that although the role of the blockchain is only beginning to emerge, as an inevitable outcome of the development of information technology, the blockchain will become one of the tools for social development and governance. When blockchain technology is mature enough in commercial applications, social governance will naturally emerge. In other words, the continuous development of blockchain technology can make society more civilized and equal, but at present, “as if we The aircraft, it will be more advanced and safer," said Professor Zhu. "But the most important thing is to let the 'Wright Brothers' have the opportunity to fly." For more exciting content, please pay attention to the static observation WeChat public number.

(Zhu Yan guest "Quan Jing Observation")

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