> In “Der Atomstaat” (“The Nuclear State”) Jungk quotes the Austrian scientist Helga Novotny, who back in the day worked at the IIASA (International Institute für Applied Systems Analysis) in Vienna/Laxenburg. She said that “the opposition against nuclear energy roots in the resistance against those who profit from the increasing economical and scientific focus. The opposition is directed against large-scale industry that makes common cause with big states and big science. It is the resistance of those who feel powerless and small in the face of the developments” (Der Atomstaat, 1977, zit. n. Ausgabe 1979 p. 77ff). This finding is still relevant today and still undermines democracy.
This. Replacing the term "intermediary" with the term "institution" is an exercise worthwhile. For one will realize that institutions serve various important social functions that go far beyond middleman style profit and rent skimming.
Proponents of blockchain revolutions need to come to terms with existing institutions, working with them rather than against.
Coins are unavoidable in currency-like applications such as Bitcoin. But it is perfectly viable to run a coinless network. Energy is one area where coin backed Proof of work mining isn't very useful