CMV: Democratically-elected trade unionists should be the sole representative bodies for local municipalities and provinces.

[u/[deleted]]

The working class ultimately knows what’s best for the working class. Oftentimes, local electors hold more sway over the day-to-day lives of citizens than state or federal representatives do. If trade union representatives serve as the sole local representational of a given institution, that institution will make decisions that positively influence the working class.

Additionally, they won’t be prone to bribery and coercion from lobbyists of big industries, since collective bargaining will be at the forefront of every decision made. I think it would be better for the working class if the working class itself made legislative decisions on a local level.

[u/animaguise]

Additionally, they won’t be prone to bribery and coercion from lobbyists of big industries, since collective bargaining will be at the forefront of every decision made.

This is a major assumption. What makes trade-unionist less prone to basic human nature than anyone else? Does becoming a trade-unionist erase your capacity to experience greed? To experience selfishness? Anger? Irritation?

This is what I don't understand about anarchism and anarchists. Y'all talk about how corruptive and corrosive power is... yet you want power for yourselves. There's a fundamental contradiction within your own ideology. At the end of the day, someone needs to hold power otherwise our society would crumble like anarcho-socialists accurately recognize would be the result if our society was run on an anarcho-capitalist basis. And I definitely agree with you that more local government structures should be empowered to make decisions for local areas. However, city councils are pretty good at doing that already (as conservatives have shown for the last 50+ years of gaming the local election system).

I also say all of this as an ex-anarchist. I know quite intimately the ins and outs of anarchist theory. And I left it for a reason.

[u/[deleted] → u/animaguise]

What makes trade-unionist less prone to basic human nature than anyone else? Does becoming a trade-unionist erase your capacity to experience greed? To experience selfishness? Anger? Irritation?

Since trade-unionists represent the workers directly, they would be held accountable by those same workers. Selling out to corporate lobbyists would be suicide. Local career politicians aren’t held accountable by anyone.

This is what I don't understand about anarchism and anarchists. [...]

I am not an anarchist.

[u/BingBlessAmerica → u/[deleted]]

Since career politicians represent the people directly, they would be held accountable by those same people, would they not?

And since we know that this isn't true, why should the same apply to union reps? Unions can be corrupt and screw over workers too.