A blockchain-driven e-participation for substantial democracy

Bearing in mind the underlying opportunities and risks of the Internet as well as the European stance on “Better Regulation” – according to which consultations and impact assessment are an intertwined essential feature for more democratic legitimacy (i.e. input and output legitimacy) – this essay tries to re-shape the approach to e-participation. In this regard, it enters the matter of the deployment of a specific technology endowed with capabilities that comply with open and transparent peer participation relying on verified and tamper-resistant information and data stored on it (i.e. blockchain and DLTs). Then, the essay enters the specific domain of the social impact as-sessment where public participation and – specifically – e-participation through blockchain technologies is deemed to assume an added-value. In-deed, in this case (social impact assessment), storage in such a technological tool of civic knowledge, expertise and public spirit becomes even worthier because of its architectural features. In this sense, its deployment may smoothen the transition from a procedural democracy to a more substantial democracy, and recent studies such as recent initiatives have proved the awareness of the EU of the potentiality of blockchains and DLTs for partici-patory and democratic purposes.