Blockchain Developer's Guide

Non-hierarchical

A hierarchical system is the one commonly found within companies and organizations. People at the top of a hierarchy have overwhelming power to direct resources and events. A hierarchy comes in different extremes. At one extreme, you could have a system wherein a single arbiter holds absolute power. At the other extreme, you could have a system where each member of the system holds identical direct power and therefore control exists through influence, reputation, or some other form of organizational currency.

In blockchain, a few forms of non-hierarchical patterns have emerged. The first is in proof-of-work mining systems. All miners are fundamentally equal participants in the blockchain, but their influence is proportional ...