The idea of a ruling class kind of flies out the window when there arent relations of production in place to create a propertied class. Power from above comes from wealth, which ultimately lies in the means of production. Government workers in the USSR, etc. were paid the salary of an average person, and at that in the USSR at least, business ownership, landlording, etc. were all prohibitied, preventing the accumulation of wealth by any single group that could then be used for a corporate raid of the government and the enforcement of elite interests unto society as a whole. Essentially, by eliminating private ownership and the class contradictions it brings, everyone including members of government were roughly within the prole/peasant classes, ensuring members of govt had similar class interests as the rest of the pop. If the "rulers" have no interest contrary to society's as a whole, then there shouldnt be much of an issue.

Basically, only through a private ownership system that generates propertied classes can a system of OPPRESSION truly form (oppression = propertied classes coerce interests unto masses), whereas the states seen in AES are instead those of SUPPRESSION (=masses forcing interests unto propertied classes, thereby liquidating these classes). These states did achieve an admirable status of socialism, having in a large part elimated class barriers through the measures i mentioned (no private bussiness ownership). A state may be contrary to FULLCOMMUNISM, but is neccessary until the contradiction of imperialism is resolved, in order protect the gains of revolutions against countries that wish to feed reaction.