Читать книгу Bitcoin, Blockchain & Co. - Joe Martin - Страница 14

This system implemented by the Knights Templar is the first in which a trusted third party played a role in a larger system. The idea of a trusted third party has survived the centuries and is well established in our modern society. We could keep our money under the mattress, but we place it in trusted third parties, like banks or building societies. Or, in terms of the social contract, we feel more comfortable lending our lawnmower to a relative stranger when he is a friend of a friend. In this scenario, our mutual friend is the trusted third party who ensures both sides are fairly treated.

The state has institutionalized the trustworthy third party in the form of the notarial system. Anyone wishing to found a company or purchase a property needs the help of the trusted third party—the lawyer. Another large, worldwide sector of trusted third parties are the auditors. These independent experts check companies’ accounts and confirm that all records are correct and verifiable. For example, they check if the company really does possess their declared cash and assets, which the stock value is partially derived from. Does the trustworthy third party really represent the truth, though?

Who has never been annoyed that they lent their lawnmower to that friend of a friend, who returned it broken or never returned it at all?

Who has never been annoyed when their bank suddenly charges some ridiculous fee for a minor infraction of the T&Cs—all because your never read the small print?

Who has never stood shaking their head at the lawyer’s office when buying or selling a property? Unclear issues of ownership are not unusual.

And then there are the auditors. Enron—and many other scandals in which investors lost billions—come to mind. When we consider the patterns of history, can we really say that the third-party system represents the truth?