技术创新会推动治理模式的变革，但这并不代表一定是对传统理论的扬弃与替代，而更可能是一种发展与补充。以比特币为代表的分布式技术革命，在技术层面实现了去中心网络结构，但比特币代码本身的治理过程却仍然体现并发展了核心群体影响下的网络组织的治理特征。本文运用质性研究的研究方法，对比特币开源社区解决冲突、形成决策的过程进行了归纳分析，并在此基础上提出理论框架。本文要回答的核心问题是，建立在自愿参与基础上的网络组织如何形成决策并实现合作治理。本文首先对比特币开源社区的发展历史、运行机制和治理框架进行了总结性描述。以区块链和工作量证明机制为特征的技术创新，使得比特币实现了去中心、去信任的分布式网络；但另一方面，比特币的规模效应又在客观上要求所有成员就代码规则实现共识。因而，如何对相互独立的不同成员之间的行为进行协调以不断完善代码规则的调整，便是比特币开源社区所要面对的主要治理难题。本文在对0.7 vs. 0.8版本冲突、BIP16 vs. BIP17方案冲突、XT&Classic vs. Core团队冲突这三个案例的实证分析基础上，分别对确定和不确定两种决策环境下，比特币开源社区形成代码调整决策的动力因素及过程机制进行了归纳总结。论文将指出，尽管排斥中心权威的控制与主导，但比特币开源社区仍然通过“说服”和“投票”机制推动了代码规则调整决策的形成，而核心群体在此过程中起到了重要作用。本文的贡献主要在两个方面：一方面，作为最早对比特币及其开源社区展开分析的学术研究之一，本文有利于促进社会对于这种颠覆性技术及其背后治理机制的了解，并有助于为未来的数字货币政策提供治理经验方面的参考；另一方面，本文从“安那其主义”角度出发对开源社区的治理展开分析，不仅有利于廓清人们对于“安那其主义”的误解，更为开源社区及网络组织的治理研究提供了新的切入视角和理论来源。
Focusing on the consensus mechanism of Bitcoin Open Source Community (hearafter BOSC), this dissertation tries to answer the question that whether distributed network organization can achieve the state of order. Following a qualitative research path, this study will analyze how BOSC resolves conflicts and realize code consensus, based on which we will further raise theoretical propositions that summarize the factors and mechanisms that affect this process.Firstly, we explain the history and ideology of BOSC. Thanks to the disruptive innovation on Block-Chain and “Proof of Work”, Bitcoin network becomes the first decentralized currency network which do not demand endorsement from government or central banks. Voluntary participants realize transactions under the rule of Bitcoin code. Different from other open source projects, the scaling effect of Bitcoin network demands code consensus among the community. Therefore, BOSC is confronted with the governance chanllenges to resolve the conflicts and realize consensus on code modifications among voluntary participants, without the help of centralized power or hierarchy structure. Based on a comparative empirical study of three cases in BOSC (version conflict of 0.7 vs. 0.8, proposition conflict of BIP16 vs. BIP17, team conflict of XT&Classic vs. Core), we induce two decision-making mechanisms respectively under complete information and incomplete information circumstances. The former shows the Leadership Mechanism while the latter is characterized by Threhold Model.The contribution of the dissteratin is twofold. First, it is one of the first academic research focusing on the governance of Bitcoin and BOSC, which is of great help to promote the understanding of this disruptive innovation and its potential impact on society. Second, this dissertation adopts the political ideology of “Anarchism”. Despite the long standing misunderstanding of “Anarchism”, it does not necessarily mean disorder or chaos. However, it tries to realize an orginzed order without governors. Based on the empirical study of BOSC, we show that “Anarchism” is reflected in BOSC, which finally proves the possibility of “Anarchism”.
