Mike B) wrote: "A classless society would not have a State, but would have all the self-governing structure it needed--perhaps an 'administration of things' by an 'association of producers'. As long as some individuals can do some things better than others, there will be hierarchies. They need not be political, bureaucratic, power-over hierarchies though--especially in a co-operative commonwealth."
These would not be hierarchies, but simple divisions of labor, no? --adx
************ The division of labour in class society leads to bureaucratic, top-down political power. There is a need for this kind of power to exist in these kinds of societies so that they can maintain themselves as class dominated, politically stratified social structures. The political power of one class over others is expressed and legitimised governmentally by the State. A classless society has no need for a State, because it has no need to re-establish class political power on a daily basis. It does have a need for governing structures--an administration of things.
A simple division of labour in a classless society does not lead to situations where one group having mastery in some particular skill, to be granted the political power to dominate other people because they do not possess that skill. The totality of work in a communist society is recognized as being necessary for the further functioning of civilization--a doctor's work increases if the garbage remains uncollected. There is a hierarchy in the sense that everyone does not have the same level of skill in any particular area. Brain tumours are best seen to by nerosurgeons, while muffler repair is best seen to by auto mechanics.
Regards, Mike B)
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