Don't forget the pirates/privateers of the caribbean. Captain was elected and removed at will by the crew. They freed slaves and distributed "wages" according to the level of contribution. The crews were diverse as hell. And they established a republic in Nassau...hundreds of years before the United States was formed. Of course, the companies (ships crew) robbed people and could be murderous at times, but the same could be said of "legitimate" less egalitarian companies of the time.
