Centralization versus Decentralization ...

Ok, if many subsequent posts are going to make sense, I am going to have to spend time defining a couple of words, centralization and decentralization. The exact definition of these words might be adjusted slightly as I go along, and it is going to be a little bit difficult to say exactly what I mean by the words at the beginning, so I am thinking that I'll just give the words two bits of information each, a description of the most extreme scenario, knowing that it is highly improbable that the most extreme scenario of either would happen at any time, and the historical context of each. This way, you'll know what I am talking about when I ramble on about centralization.

Centralization: In its extreme form, centralization means one world government determining what is best for international society as a whole. People only form a part of the greater whole, and can be used by society for the greater good. Everything is ordered, and everybody plays their part, contributes their work, and interacts with other people who do the same thing. Marx's definitions of Socialism and Communism were good examples of ideals of centralization.

Decentralization: In its extreme form, decentralization means that no groups exist, and individuals act solely of their own volition. Centralization was a product, largely, of the Industrial Revolution, and what had existed before then in the middle class was a largely decentralized system. People did not, for the most part, rely on specific other people. There is no dependence. Dependence is a product of centralization. People do not exert power over each other. That is also a product of centralization. Decentralization is much easier to define by what it is not than what it is, which is simply all members of society living their lives as they see fit, and making their own choices without force by other people. It is the total independence of each member of society.

I will say right now that decentralization is the route in which I believe society needs to go, and that, if ultimate decentralization were possible, it would be my idea of a utopia. Given the idea, which I feel is pretty well substantiated, that it is not possible, however, the goal must be to structure society in such a way that decentralization is maximized, so that individual autonomy can also be maximized.

I will also argue in favor of decentralization, rather than centralization, as the ideal.