Neoliberalism and the Rise of Bitcoin - Is Bitcoin a Neo-Liberal Product? A Socio-Economic Analysis

Research Paper (postgraduate) from the year 2018 in the subject Sociology - Individual, Groups, Society, grade: 75 - Distinction, Bournemouth University, language: English, abstract: By the end of 2017 almost everybody has heard of Bitcoin. Therefore, the topic of this essay is highly relevant and aims to give an insight on Bitcoin and Blockchain technology, as well as analyze the rise of Bitcoin from a socio-economic viewpoint. By applying the 'personal enterprise concept' based on the neo-liberal definition from Dardot and Laval (2013), this essay will look at the correlation between the increase of neoliberalism and the rise of Bitcoin. By highlighting the sociological and financial circumstance that Bitcoin has emerged from, the rise of Bitcoin can be explained. This essay will show how decentralization, the financial crisis of 2008, globalization, digitization and the neo-liberal mindset are the main factors that paved the way for Bitcoin and contributed to its development. The essay will also look at the societal changes that occurred due to digitization to demonstrate why Bitcoin and Altcoins are increasingly popular in today's network societies.