[Bitcoin or Bitcoin Cash? Vitalik Buterin dives deep into the block size war]
A block size war within the Bitcoin community sparked a schism that led to the creation of Bitcoin Cash (BCH) in 2017. The central issue in this debate is whether to increase the block size limit from 1 MB to accommodate more transactions. The split remains relevant seven years later.
Ethereum founder Vitalik Buterin recently shared his reflections on the block size war in a blog post. Buterin offers his unique perspective on the debate after reading two books that presented different perspectives.
The two books are "The Blocksize War" by Jonathan Bier and "Hijacking Bitcoin" by Roger Ver and Steve Patterson. Bier's book represents the small-block perspective, while Ver and Patterson's book supports the big-block perspective.
Buterin pointed out that the two sides agreed on basic issues: the small blockers prioritized the convenience of running nodes, while the large blockers emphasized lower transaction fees. However, the two descriptions of the underlying problems differ significantly.
According to Bier, the small block faction represents users against powerful groups trying to control the chain. Ver, on the other hand, portrays the Big Block faction as protecting users from self-appointed high priests and profit-seeking corporations.
Buterin initially supported the big blockers, arguing that their promise of Bitcoin’s original role as digital cash was justified. He also questions the small-block group’s “user consensus” narrative and criticizes their censorship of objections on social media, which is consistent with Ver’s book.
However, Buterin also pointed out shortcomings of the big block faction, such as the inability to agree on block size limits. He believes that the Big Block faction’s argument that miners should control Bitcoin is incorrect and criticizes their technical incompetence, which is consistent with Bier’s book.
On June 1, Sal the Agorist mentioned the block size debate on the A big block supporter.
Buterin described the block size wars as a “one-sided competency trap,” where one side monopolizes capable people but promotes a narrow perspective.The other side, while recognizing the problem, failed to develop the technical capabilities to execute its vision.
He emphasized the importance of new technologies in defusing political tensions, citing some examples from Ethereum development. He expressed concerns about Bitcoin's ability to become a technologically advanced ecosystem and emphasized the lessons Ethereum has learned from Bitcoin's experience.
Finally, Buterin recommends reading these two books to understand this pivotal moment in Bitcoin’s history. He emphasized that the lessons of the block size war are not only applicable to Bitcoin, but also have important significance for other digital communities seeking to realize their own visions.
