Social services revitalisation: the role of blockchain technology, multi-level governance, and community-based protection in comparative perspective

Abstract

This article examines the potential of blockchain technology to support the revitalisation of social services delivered by local government units by improving transparency, accountability, coordination, and trust in digital local administration. It asks how the integration of blockchain with multi-level governance and community-based protection may affect the efficiency, transparency, and inclusiveness of local social services. The study adopts a conceptual and exploratory design based on desk research, legal and institutional analysis, comparative assessment, and illustrative public-sector examples. It argues that, under specific institutional and legal conditions, the European Union model may offer advantages for social services because it combines regulatory coordination, interoperability, subsidiarity, data protection, and safeguards for citizens’ rights. The article proposes an integrated analytical framework and a four-phase implementation model for local government units, while emphasising that blockchain should be treated as a selective and conditional instrument rather than a universal solution.