The Majority Decision

The majority decision is represented by the longest chain, which has the greatest proof-of-work effort invested in it.

- Satoshi Nakamoto, Bitcoin Whitepaper

At any given moment, it is possible for anyone to look at the longest chain of blocks that has been produced to determine where the greatest amount of work has been applied by multiple unconnected parties. This enables users of the network who are not interested in participating in the creation of blocks to become simple observers of the chain. The accumulated proof-of-work of the whole network acts as a signal that highly invested parties have come to agreement as a means to determine the validity of any given block or transaction.

From time to time, competing chain-tips will emerge, however in time the competitors in the network will always unite their effort back to a single point upon which the cumulative power of all nodes is applied as a foundation for the continuance of the chain.

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