Lostspark & Arso,
You need to understand the organization of a Chasidus. In Eastern Europe (& elsewhere) Jews have always lived in groups that had the “In” group & the “Out” group. This was part of the outside world as well with a hierarchy. There were even different sets of laws based on position in life. For example, if a peasant killed a noble they’d be put to death but if a noble killed a peasant they’d have to pay the family $5,000. So here you have a new form of Judaism that says if you (& it was voluntary) join this group & are not the Rebbe than you (learned or not, rich or poor) were equal to everyone else that wasn’t the Rebbe. In the world of Eastern Europe this was huge. But as you see it only works if there’s a Rebbe who is the “In” group making everyone else the “Out” group.
Also, while not necessarily the plan of the early Chasidic leaders, the different sects developed into top down authoritarian orgs. This is most important in keeping a cohesive group. The Rebbe says “Give money to this tsedaka.” Everyone does. More important, The Rebbe says, “No one is sending their kids to the new govt public school.” No one does & in that pre-Stalin era there wasn’t much the govt could do. This power of passive resistance only worked because it was a singular cohesive group acting as one.
Bottom line, if you study Chasidic history you clearly see it only works with a Rebbe. There may be splits within a sect like Satmar but that’s different. No Chasid in KJ thinks they can expand the Shul or start a new school without the blessing of the Rebbe.
