Can we avoid becoming totalitarian States?
Even simpler: can we avoid becoming a State? The question pretends not to be trivial. In Komun.org we have an anarchist, anti-capitalist, anti-statist and antitotalitarian vision. But this, unfortunately, is not something "natural" in the human species. Therefore, early self-criticism is essential.
When we want to analyze as objectively as possible the future and the future progress of any project with a self-managed and horizontal vocation, we should not exclude any point of view. And, to understand the totality of a movement, one must necessarily include the social, cultural, historical, economic, psychological, biological and even paleontological.
I have said that anarchy is not "natural" in the human species, which is not an obstacle to admit that a voluntary evolution towards utopia is something desirable, necessary and convenient. It is not "natural" because we are the result of the inheritance of our remote ancestors: primates strongly hierarchized. I have always included this fact every time I have tried to sketch a summary of the economic and social history of humanity. See, for example: "AND THEN BITCOIN CAME TO CHANGE THE HISTORY"
Undressing psychologically to any human being we find the primary motivations of our basic behaviors: fear and the search for security. These two factors are the atavistic psychobiological structure that makes us inappropriate creatures suitable for the construction of projects oriented towards the common good. Or, in any case, we will participate in such projects trying to make them compatible with the need to appease this individualistic character based on fear and the incessant search for personal safety. Avoiding this self-observation is the sure base for all the self-deceptions that historically have destroyed the best attempts to create a society based on mutualism, cooperation and the common good.
How to destroy a self-managed project in a few stages
It's simple. We have been repeating it since the most remote times. It is enough to let ourselves be dragged to recreating the structures of a State almost spontaneously.
Create or participate in the creation of a horizontal and self-managed project, reaffirming you continuously in which only your vision and ideas are correct. Do not worry, everything will start off very well but that will be the inevitable trend. Practically you will not have to do anything unusual to fulfill this first premise.
Form a body of officials as soon as you can. Although the project is oriented towards the common good you must ensure that you and your friends can live and take advantage of it. Fear and the search for individual security will be the invisible motor of all the dialectical subtleties that you will use to justify the most selfish behaviors and disguise them as radical activism. And do not worry either because you will always be absolutely convinced of the honesty of your actions. The brain is so benevolent.
Attack with all the dialectical weapons and pseudoconsensus strategies to any discordant voice. Naturally, in this crucial stage towards a statist structure, you and your affines must deactivate any attempt at internal self-criticism. Okay, the rest of the world is rotten and you can not expect more than resistance and attacks to the project. But inside everything must be faith and unbreakable cohesion (of course, to your ideas that are the only valuable and true). Do not tolerate insidious questions. Become a guardian of truth and morals. Do not allow yourself even a hint of humor. With your life projects nobody should play. Observe how well-consolidated States do it: a State does not admit criticism. A totalitarian State is obliged to suppress dissident factions. If the dissidence, in addition, xpress criticism with humor and caricatures, that is already intolerable. So cheer up! If you have reached this stage, you are getting it! You will not have prisons or (officially) police. But do not despair, you're on the right track.
Once you have become strong, you and all the politburo, start a more or less long but really exciting stage. A stage that will give meaning to what was once a tiny life revolving around that vital anguish and the challenge of achieving the always elusive personal security. Now the factions are clearly defined. You are the official party, which is always right and therefore you will not tolerate that other people can destroy your small project of State. The "others" are the dissidence, the terrorists, those who want to destroy everything that has cost you so much to build.
What follows is simply the repetition of familiar stories. The best projects always end up divided into two or more parts. And, finally, each one goes by his side. Today we would say that the "fork" is inevitable. Simply because we like to fill our mouths with expressions such as collective intelligence, inclusivity, consensus, open assemblies or, more comfortably, this is what we build among all. But in the end, the issue is: if you do not think like me, there will be war. From the Paleolithic, through feudalism to the contemporary era, this has always been the case.
On the other hand, the Freudian desire to "be great" is inherent in our nature, to leave our mark on the world and to be recognized for it. Anthropologically this is no more than a sophisticated derivation of the hierarchical structures of our primate ancestors.
The art of manipulating
Calling art to manipulation is a poetic license. Manipulating the arguments of logic and reason is the necessary evolution (for reasons of survival) of the challenge of climbing steps in the social scale of the primate family. Sometimes you have to deworm the affines and sometimes you have to show your teeth to those who may threaten your privileged position. The human brain is built to manipulate reality. It would be insufferable and even contrary to the survival of our genetic material to perceive the reality of our motivations. So Nature, wise but implacable in its procreative objectives, has endowed us with the capacity to interpret reality in a more or less comfortable and coherent way with our instinctive cravings. Basically: we are the center of the universe, we are always right and any act intended to appease our fears and obtain security, however despicable it may seem from outside our center, will always be fully self-justified. And we will never tolerate that the honesty of our actions is questioned.
The manipulation of reality pervades everything. It would be absurd even if I did not recognize that these same reflections are an attempt to manipulate it.
We are already a State
Once assured the control of any project labeled as self-managed and horizontal we already have the green and proud offspring of a State. As long as we are in the correct faction, of course. If not, it will be enough to split and try again.
Disclaimer
I write from self-deception based, of course, on the atavistic impulses of fear and the search for individual security. I recognize that I am a manipulator and distort reality for my own tranquility. I hope, yes, that understanding the brevity of this mystery called life, I can reach the end of it with a relaxed smile and the serenity of feeling that, honestly, I have lived. I know no other way than to constantly review my actions and motivations. Not to judge them but to keep track of my most unnatural ideals; those that at some point I felt like those for which it was worth living. I love the idea of a world without States. Please, hit me in the head if I ever lose the focus.
Rule by force is the disease, who and how are symptoms.
States are natural, they exist because they are necessary. Going towards anarchy would only be beneficial in some things, in others, it is simply better to conserve the State.