Governments will only be able to stop ₿itcoin after they solve the byzantine generals problem.
Discussion
They won't
This is a new concept to me.
How does it apply?
The reason ₿itcoin works, is because Satoshi solved this problem. Ironically, to stop ₿itcoin, governments would need to coordinate and trust each other, thus solving the same problem.
Gotcha.
I think Gov'ts will throw AI at everything they can to censor it on a mass scale.
If they can stop a sognificant amount of transactions in the US, it would be a huge blow to the Bitcoin network. While they might not be able to stop transactions everywhere, it would send a strong message and push miners, node runners, and users back into the shadows. Probably taking the price with it.
To me, AI is the tool that alleviates the coordination problem.
If there were only one ai, maybe. But there are many competing ai’s. Individuals have ai too.
Any government that restricts the use of ₿itcoin by its citizens only hurts itself since ₿itcoin empowers the citizens to leave.
Soon governments will realize they need to compete for the best citizens by offering them something. This game theory prediction is happening now. Think El Salvador and Madeira.
Don’t forget, walls are designed to keep citizens in as well as keeping noncitizens out.
The US gov't already colludes with big tech and ISPs to monitor and collect all electronic comms, and censor. Anyone that becomes a problem for them is targeted for exhile and deleted, if necessay.
AI increases their capabilities.
Gov't could expand this system to screen for bitcoin-related traffic and ISPs could shut it down in real time.
Smart people will find creative solutions. But, it'll probably be too complicated for the masses.
Gov't doesn't need to compete. They have a monopoly on force, and they are master manipulators. They can nudge us (the masses) in the direction of their choosing.
If they capitulate, it'll probably be for show, another manipulation. "You can have Bitcoin, but only KYC and through programmable institutions that can debank anyone."
What we have going for us, now, is we are ahead of the game. Congress is slow to understand new tech and react. But, it is on their radar, now.
Mass adoption is critical to resistance, so that everyday people say "Hey, I use Bitcoin. My savings are in there. If you mess with that, your political career is over."
I love self-sovereignty tech. I'm all in on building communities that allow us to opt out. If that ever starts to catch on, the Gov't will fight hard.
The powers that be need CBDC to impose their agenda. Bitcoin defies that.