From Surveillance Capitalism to Infocracy: Blockchain and Dataship

Abstract

The process of digitalization fundamentally transforms the nature of political power through the
production, processing, and circulation of data. This study addresses this transformation within
the framework of the concept of “infocracy” and analyzes the political implications of data-driven
governance forms. In this context, infocracy is conceptualized as a regime type that operates
through data production, algorithmic governance, and digital surveillance mechanisms. The
study aims to examine the concept of infocracy within an analytical and measurable framework,
while also revealing the dual role played by blockchain technology in this process. Accordingly,
the research adopts an explanatory, interpretative, and exploratory qualitative methodology,
based on an extensive literature review and conceptual analysis. The findings indicate that
blockchain technology, with its potential to provide decentralization, transparency, and data
control, creates a sphere of resistance against infocracy; however, it can also reinforce infocratic
structures by increasing surveillance capacity through features such as data traceability and
immutability. This dual effect demonstrates that technology is not normatively neutral and can
produce different political outcomes depending on its mode of use. Within this framework, the
primary objective of the study is to develop a theoretical model that explains the transformation
of digital governance by analyzing the effects of data-driven governance systems emerging in the
digital age on state-citizen relations.