I agree that there's a little confusion in the article regarding the role of protocols in the decentralization equation. That said, I do think the larger point (global consensus protocols are just another form of centralization) is valid and worth discussing.
No - that's not a "little confusion". It is almost total lack of knowledge of the subject at hand. So many concrete examples by the author are not valid. Changes and forks in blockchain protocols happen all the time. You can start your own local blockchain in your own private IP subnet or whatever. You can create your own private ledger on the global net in less than a minute [1].
You could say that this new form of centralisation has the potential to allow governance systems that breakaway from, modify or usurp nation States. All of it being economically incentivised. This is pretty interesting IMO.
