Is blockchain technology a supstitute for bureaucracy?

Osnovna ideja ovoga rada bila je predstaviti koncept blockchain tehnologije i potencijal koji ova tehnologija ima u rješavanju određenih problema s kojima se birokracija, kao klasični sociološki pojam, susreće u suvremenom dobu. Otkako je 2009. godine koncept blockchain tehnologije predstavljen javnosti, prepoznati potencijal ove tehnologije ne prestaje rasti, a načini primjene svakodnevno se gomilaju. U radu je koncept blockchain tehnologije temeljito objašnjen kroz sustave Bitcoin i Ethereum, a kroz rad dano je nekoliko primjera trenutne i moguće implementacije blockchain tehnologije. Upravo zbog organizacijskog potencijala kojeg blockchain tehnologija ima, usporediva je s birokracijom te se predstavlja kao birokracija 21. stoljeća gdje su određeni dijelovi birokratske mašine koji su u birokraciji sačinjeni od ljudi, zamijenjeni računalnim operacijskim sustavima. Implementacija blockchain tehnologije u birokratske sustave mogla bi imati dalekosežne posljedice kako na sam birokratski aparat tako i na društvo u cjelini, te na taj način postati ostvarenje Weberove utopije društva oslobođenog željeznog kaveza.The main idea of this paper was to present the concept of blockchain technology and the potential it has in solving certain problems that bureaucracy, as a classical sociological term, encounters in the modern age. Ever since the concept of blockchain technology was introduced to the public in 2009, the recognized potential and method of application are growing on a daily basis. In the paper, the concept of blockchain technology is thoroughly explained through Bitcoin and Ethereum systems, and through the paper some examples of current and possible implementation of blockchain technology are given. Because of the organizational potential that blockchain technology has, it is comparable to bureaucracy and it presents itself as a 21st century bureaucracy. Now certain human-driven parts of the bureaucratic machine are being replaced with computer operating systems. The implementation of blockchain technology in bureaucratic systems could have far-reaching consequences both on the bureaucratic apparatus itself and on the society as a whole, and thus become the realization of Weber's utopia of a society liberated of iron cage