What Diplomacy in the Ancient Near East Can Tell Us About Blockchain Technology

Authors

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.5195/ledger.2017.104

Keywords:

Blockchain, Institutional Economics, Diplomatic Protocol, Ancient near east

Abstract

A blockchain is an institutional technology—a protocol—that allows for economic coordination between agents separated by boundaries of possible mistrust. Blockchains are not the only technology in history to have these characteristics. The paper looks at the role of the diplomatic protocol at the very beginning of human civilisation in the ancient near east. These two protocols—diplomatic and blockchain—have significant similarities. They were created to address to similar economic problems using similar mechanisms: a permanent record of past dealings, public and ritualistic verification of transactions, and game-theoretic mechanisms of reciprocity. The development of the diplomatic protocol allowed for the creation of the first international community and facilitated patterns of peaceful trade and exchange. Some questions about a generalised ‘protocol economics’ are drawn.

Author Biography

Chris Berg, School of Economics, Finance and Marketing RMIT University

Chris Berg is a Postdoctoral Fellow at the School of Economics, Finance and Marketing, RMIT University.

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Published

2017-12-18

How to Cite

Berg, C. (2017). What Diplomacy in the Ancient Near East Can Tell Us About Blockchain Technology. Ledger, 2, 55–64. https://doi.org/10.5195/ledger.2017.104

Issue

Vol. 2 (2017)

Section

Research Articles

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