"I thought the original point was about organization rather than definition?"

It was both Jack and I suspect they may be linked. For instance it might be the very homespun character you attribute to folk performance that leads it to require a higher authority, as though folkiness may leak away if not kept in harness.

I was saying the exact opposite - folk organizations tend to be more democratic than those that run the pop, rock, jazz and art music scenes. The high-end promoters of the pop and opera businesses make Genghis Khan look like an anarchist, and jazz is basically the Mafia with different weapons in the black cases.

Feed a pop entrepreneur's ego after midnight and you end up with a Phil Spector. The folk scene hasn't produced anybody like that. Just lots of very dull meetings.