The thought came to my mind, when everything about Bitcoin and Ethereum is legit open-source, and posted on GitHub; there's every line of code available in the open for any government to make a Bitcoin/ Ethereum clone of their own. So, whey aren't they doing that, if not seriously, then at least proof-of-concept?
Even if blockchains come with patents, there's the phrase called 'compulsory licensing' that has long been used by third world countries to manufacture patented drugs at dirt-cheap prices. Likewise, blockchains too could be 'compulsorily licensed' even if patented.
Whey then doesn't any country, say China or India, declare such a blockchain to be an essential 'public good' and clone Bitcoin or Ethereum, whatever is utilitarian for their purposes? At least they'll save on the Ether prices for their DApps!