>[!abstract] >_The tyranny of structurelessness_ is a concept articulated by feminist activist Jo Freeman in her 1970 essay critiquing the idea that groups can operate effectively without formal structures. Freeman observed that attempts at "structureless" organizing often result in hidden hierarchies, where informal cliques and unacknowledged power dynamics dominate without accountability. She argued that explicit, transparent structures —while imperfect— are more democratic and equitable because they make authority visible and subject to scrutiny. The phrase highlights how the rejection of formal organization can paradoxically entrench inequality and undermine collective action. >[!related] >- **North** (upstream): — >- **West** (similar): [[Iron law of oligarchy]] >- **East** (different): [[Radical horizontalism]] >- **South** (downstream): [[Conscious structuring]]