Blocks arent intended or enforced as punishment  theyre intended and enforced to prevent users from engaging in disruptive or unseemly conduct that adversely affects either the encyclopedia or its other users Where long term misconduct does not stop after sufficient education and warnings in this case it was more than sufficient long term prevention is applied Sometimes misconduct might be serious enough to carry lengthy blocks whether its several months a year or indefinite And yes youve mostly understood correctly for the second half of your reply  but failing to live up to an assurance of not engaging in that misconduct will result in future sanctionsblocks or if it still doesnt stop after these the community may enforce a ban