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# System prepended metadata

title: <center><i class="fa fa-edit"></i> 2.1 Centralization and Decentralization </center>
tags: [Blockchain]

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# <center><i class="fa fa-edit"></i> 2.1 Centralization and Decentralization </center>
###### tags: `Blockchain`
The following notes are taken from [Coursera](https://www.coursera.org/learn/cryptocurrency/home/week/2)

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- Competing paradigms that underlie many digital technologies
- Decentralization is **NOT** all-or-nothing
    - Ex: email -> decentralized but dominated by centralized webmail services

### Bitcoin Decentralization Aspects
- Peer-to-peer network: open to anyone, low barrier to entry
- Mining: open to anyone, inevitable concentration of power often seen as undesirable 
- Updates to software: core developers trusted by community, have great power