BitDevs Debate Series #2: On Decentralization

This is the second event in our Debate Series. This event will focus on the topic of decentralization in the context of Bitcoin. If you can't make it to the main event please join us at Live Bait (http://livebaitnyc.com/) around 9:15PM for a social hour.
As the block size debate rages on, a common question that arises is: what function does decentralization serve in Bitcoin's security model? Said differently: how much decentralization does Bitcoin need to be secure?

To answer this question we must first explore the metrics which define decentralization. Once a general framework for decentralization has been outlined/agreed upon, we can explore varying opinions on threat models for the Bitcoin network. For example: some believe that if Bitcoin nodes were exclusively run in data centers that would provide sufficient security/privacy/autonomy for network participants, while others believe that resource requirements for running a full node should be kept accessible so network participants can run their own nodes and validate incoming block and transaction data without having to trust a third party.

Related questions we will discuss:

• Is node count a good metric of decentralization?

• How accessible should running a node be?

• Why is running a node important (or not)?

• Do you think block size should be purely a denial-of-service prevention measure? (link (https://lists.linuxfoundation.org/pipermail/bitcoin-discuss/2016-February/000049.html))

• Do you think they serve an economic purpose (e.g. to "create a transaction fee market")?

• What is the state of the mining network in the context of decentralization?

Please read the following articles to prepare yourself for discussion (and feel free to submit other articles and questions you feel are relevant to bitdevsnyc (at) gmail (dot) com):

• http://truthcoin.info/blog/measuring-decentralization

• http://bluematt.bitcoin.ninja/2016/01/14/decentralization/

• http://wallstreettechnologist.com/2016/02/05/the-decentralization-myth/

• http://organofcorti.blogspot.de/2014/12/measures-of-network-hashrate.html

• http://www.initc3.org/scalingblockchain/full.pdf

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