Graduation Year

2026

Date of Submission

4-2026

Document Type

Campus Only Senior Thesis

Degree Name

Bachelor of Arts

Department

Government

Second Department

International Relations

Reader 1

Jordan Branch

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Abstract

Whether the dark web represents a failure of global governance or an inevitable outcome of the internet’s design has important implications for how states and policymakers respond to anonymous online markets and cybercrime. This thesis addresses that question through a qualitative, interdisciplinary analysis drawing on internet architecture theory, international relations, legal scholarship, and computer science, alongside institutional analysis and case studies.

It argues that the dark web is best understood as a predictable product of three interrelated conditions rather than a governance failure. First, the internet’s foundational design limits centralized oversight by distributing control to network endpoints. Second, the cypherpunk movement deliberately developed anonymizing technologies such as Tor, Freenet, and I2P to resist surveillance, accepting the likelihood of illicit use as a trade-off. Third, a mismatch between global networks and territorially bounded legal authority creates persistent enforcement gaps that dark web actors exploit.

The convergence of Tor and Bitcoin enabled anonymous markets such as Silk Road, whose rapid re-emergence after its 2013 shutdown illustrates the resilience of this infrastructure. Law enforcement efforts have repeatedly disrupted individual platforms but mainly displaced activity rather than eliminated it. These findings suggest that suppression-based strategies are structurally limited. A harm reduction approach that targets high-harm activities while preserving the legitimate privacy functions of anonymizing networks offers a more effective and realistic framework for governance.

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This thesis is restricted to the Claremont Colleges current faculty, students, and staff.

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