## Buterin: System Diffusion is the Only Way to Stop the Monopoly of Power

Vitalik Buterin, the creator of Ethereum, recently shared views worth considering. In his latest piece "Balance of Power," he addressed a question we observe every day: how gigantic corporations, governments, and social groups are taking control of technology.

### Problem: Traditional brakes no longer work

Once, natural technological friction and regulations kept entities in check. Today, that is lacking. Technological progress has transformed into a tool for monopoly. Buterin points out that Silicon Valley leaders, who once defended freedom, now clash over political and economic influence. The scale of operations allows powerful players to rapidly consolidate — something that was impossible in the past.

This leads us to a paradox: how to maintain 21st-century civilization without extreme concentration of power?

### Solution: Forced diffusion instead of dreams

Buterin proposes a radical idea — **system diffusion** as a mandatory element of digital architectures. We cannot wait for natural competition to break monopolies. Therefore, engineered openness is necessary.

His concept is based on "adversarial interoperability" — tools that work with existing platforms without the creators' consent. Examples? Ad blockers, AI content filters, or value transfer systems bypassing centralized control points. Sci-Hub is a model — it enforced fairness in access to knowledge through mandatory diffusion of information.

### Examples of diffusion in practice: Why isn’t Lido a monopoly?

Buterin cites Lido as a case study. The protocol controls about 24% of all staked ETH, which would be alarming centralization. However, because Lido operates as a decentralized DAO with dozens of operators — not as a monolithic entity — it is perceived differently than a centralized entity of similar size. The internal structure and diffusion of responsibility are examples of diffusion in action.

The community, however, remains vigilant — ensuring Lido does not take over the majority of the stake. This shows that diffusion is not a one-time solution but a process requiring constant vigilance.

### Moral foundation: Pluralism without hegemony

Buterin calls for a moral synthesis: platforms should have influence, but none should dominate. It’s a difficult balance but necessary. Governments must be neutral playing fields, not players choosing winners.

Cryptocurrencies and blockchain play a role here — not as panaceas, but as mechanisms enforcing diffusion through technical code rather than false promises.