Potential Impact of a DApp on the Third Word

I first created the app Safi for the purpose of a hackathon. It is more of an ideal than a true product; Safi is powered by a test blockchain using testrpc.

Safi is the Swahili word for “clean” and the intention is to show that the number one priority for technology is to fix problems. I’ve seen several examples of much better voting platforms on the blockchain and I genuinely hope that those entrepreneurs and developers attempt to implement them where they are truly needed, regardless of the many roadblocks.

Abstract

Around the world the greatest threat to democracy is not a dictatorship; a dictatorship provides a blatant contrast to everyone. The greatest threat to democracy is a false democracy where presidents ensure they stay in power for years in their countries while at the same time staying under the radar as a proud democracy.

Introduction

In the Democratic Republic of Congo corruption runs rampant: Fraudulent business practices in the east, election fraud in the capital. The country needs to use a universal platform to handle election fraud. Disputed elections have been a problem all over the world, but no other continent has had it faced with such a high frequency as Africa. Disputed elections breed unrest and a lack of trust in the leadership. Political corruption from the top down filters into all facets of the national infrastructure.

Safi, a blockchain based voting platform, can ensure that all submitted votes are accurate and secure. It is important to make clear that there are blockchain voting platforms currently in development, but while Safi has a similar function it also has a purpose and an implementation plan. Every secure and functionally anonymous vote transaction is added to the immutable ledger. Safi being powered by blockchain technology is important because with the backing of a decentralized network there is no central target for a hacker.

A blockchain based voting platform has potential use cases in not just Africa. It is absurd to think that the 2000 United States Election dispute was resolved by a 5–4 Supreme Court vote. A disputed election devolves into a game of “he said, she said”. The best way to end corruption is simply to prevent it. Using Estonia as an example, online voting can be implemented on a national scale [3]. Online voting also is in fact cheaper than the current physical method. Any potential risks to security are overshadowed by the decreased risk of an illegitimate national election. Any system, no matter how well it is set up, assumes some measure of trust. For example, when ordering a pizza over the phone does a person not assume that their credit card information isn’t being written down as it’s said?

Solution

Safi cannot simply be implemented on a large scale, it needs to be validated and be implemented over the years from the ground up. Many treat anything involving blockchain technology as “the fix”, but just like anything else a DApp still needs to prove it is feasible and sustainable. Safi itself needs to be applied on a small scale, to gain traction and validated use cases, before it is ever implemented on an international level. For example, many states in the United States already offer some form of electronic voting. Voting requires accuracy and privacy, perfect for a decentralized application.

Proof Of Concept Implementation:

1. Classroom test cases

2. Local election surveys

3. 2020 surveys

Feasibility of Blockchain Implementation In Africa

The implementation of blockchain technology in Africa will follow a leapfrog approach. The many underdeveloped nations with underdeveloped infrastructure will need to adopt blockchain technology rapidly. Common examples of leapfrogging used are Kenya and South Africa skipping the use of copper cables and going straight to telephone access using 3G mobile networks [7]. There is no greater example than Japan after WWII. The country was literally destroyed but embraced new manufacturing techniques in the 1960s and 70s that far surpassed every other nation for years and helped Japan have one of the world’s largest economies[7].

Nigeria, the most powerful country in Africa, holds the tech hub of Africa and has one of the 20 strongest economies in the world. Using Nigeria as an example: technology levels the playing field among countries, this is a universal truth. Now small countries do more damage in cyber warfare than they ever could have hoped to on the physical plane. The goal of technological innovations in third world Africa is sustainable development. The only way for blockchain technology to be implemented in Africa is to create valid use cases to show the practical use. Third world Africa presents the perfect chance to prove the benefits of blockchain technologically across national infrastructure.

Works Cited

1. Horwitz, Sari. “More than 30 states offer online voting, but experts warn it isn’t secure.” The Washington Post, WP Company, 17 May 2016, www.washingtonpost.com/news/post-nation/wp/2016/05/17/more-than-30-states-offer-online-voting-but-experts-warn-it-isnt-secure/?utm_term=.9cffa690eefc.
2. Kazeem, Yomi. “Two investigations into corruption in resource-Rich DR Congo show why it stays so poor.” Quartz, Quartz, 25 July 2017, qz.com/1038143/two-investigations-into-corruption-in-resource-rich-dr-congo-show-why-it-stays-so-poor/.
3. Leetaru, Kalev. “How Estonia’s E-Voting System Could Be The Future.” Forbes, Forbes Magazine, 7 June 2017, www.forbes.com/sites/kalevleetaru/2017/06/07/how-estonias-e-voting-system-could-be-the-future/#7bec3fe43b95.
4. Ross, Aaron, and editing by David Clarke. “Congo loses up to $15 billion per year to fraud: official.” Reuters, Thomson Reuters, 9 Dec. 2015, www.reuters.com/article/us-congodemocratic-corruption/congo-loses-up-to-15-billion-per-year-to-fraud-official-idUSKBN0TS1S620151209.
5. “The Struggle for the Congo.” Jacobin Magazine, www.jacobinmag.com/2017/05/democratic-republic-congo-kabila-protests-fraud-elections-violence.
6. Tapscott, Don. “How blockchains could change the world.” McKinsey & Company, www.mckinsey.com/industries/high-tech/our-insights/how-blockchains-could-change-the-world.
7. Knight, Vinay GuptaRob. “How Blockchain Could Help Emerging Markets Leap Ahead.” Harvard Business Review, 17 May 2017, hbr.org/2017/05/how-blockchain-could-help-emerging-markets-leap-ahead.