You're wrong freebutcaged, everyone can run their own node, if you design the software as smart as can be.


And it's the best way: a not-central bank (where are you getting the idea that everyone running their own node is just 1 big central bank )


Doing what you're suggesting (miners are the only full nodes) gives too much power to the miners to change the Bitcoin software to whatever they like, that's a part of what all this Bitmain controversy is all about. And re: downloading only part of the blockchain, that's been in Bitcoin Core since version 11, since over 18 months ago