This does not make sense.
Before scientists started reviewing each other, who at the journal was judging the work of scientists to be published? Scientists?
Before scientists started reviewing each other, who at the journal was judging the work of scientists to be published? Scientists?
The point is that they did not have a conflict of interest.
In 2020 peer review, people are often asked to review the work of their rivals. So they're incentivized to (1) say that it's bad and demand many changes, and/or (2) steal their ideas.