Structurelessness
P2P projects have structure and hierarchies, but they are flexible. They are not structureless or hierarchy-less.
Concept
"Feminist and civic action groups of the sixties and seventies ... discovered that structureless anti-authoritarian modes actually lead to hidden power distributions, so that it is important to have open and transparent procedures that can insure a flexible and wide distribution of power."
— http://www.permanentculturenow.com/43-essential-essays-on-the-commons-and-peer-2-peer-theory/ about The Tyranny of Structurelessness
Contextual Quote
"Informal structures have no obligation to be responsible to the group at large. Their power was not given to them; it cannot be taken away. Their influence is not based on what they do for the group; therefore they cannot be directly influenced by the group. This does not necessarily make informal structures irresponsible. Those who are concerned with maintaining their influence will usually try to be responsible. The group simply cannot compel such responsibility; it is dependent on the interests of the elite."
- Jo Freeman, 1970 [1]
Description
Zandr of the Distributed Inference Network:
"Some communities attempt governance through informal norms only: "no rules, just freedom. "What often happens: a charismatic person emerges naturally and accumulates informal authority through social dynamics. They become de facto leader with no formal accountability because "no rules." The result is either dictatorship or capture. The community stays small and homogeneous, collapses from internal conflict, or gets captured by external forces. Structurelessness is a structure, one that's invisible, unaccountable, and favours certain personality types: the socially dominant, persistent, or those who think strategically. In the absence of explicit governance, implicit governance emerges and concentrates power in ways that can't be challenged or even clearly identified. Even perfectly functioning internal governance must interface with external systems: taxes, property, contracts, suppliers, services. Legal entities, bank accounts, authorised signatories, stable negotiating parties are required. The membrane between DIN and external systems requires translation, which itself becomes a power concentration point. DIN makes this explici tand manageable rather than pretending it doesn't exist."
More Information
- The Tyranny of Structurelessness by Jo Freeman, Berkeley Journal of Sociology, 1970