Grand Cybertronian Taxonomy

Under Functionism, all Cybertronian life can be classified in one great system, known as the Grand Cybertronian Taxonomy. This classification determined the placement of Transformers on its hierarchy based on the user's alternate mode: those with common forms, such as memory sticks, became the disposable class, who ranked low socially to the point that they were seen as expendable. Other Transformers with industrial alternate modes such as forklifts and bulldozers found themselves pressed into manual labour. Those lucky Transformers with rarer and more specialized forms, such as proton microscopes, received more opportunities and rights than those without.

Fiction

2005 IDW continuity

It's basically a Pokédex.

The original Grand Cybertronian Taxonomy listed over seven hundred and forty different forms of alternate mode. Over time, the exact number listed changed, as the Functionist Council edited and re-edited the GCT every time an alt-mode went "extinct". In the first edition, turbofoxes were listed as number one-hundred and thirteen. At Close of Day

One of the first challenges to the Grand Cybertronian Taxonomy came from the noted philosopher, scholar and explorer Dominus Ambus, after forming a relationship with his memory stick Rewind. He developed a series of tests to prove that the so-called "disposable class" were as sentient as any other Cybertronians and used his influence to fight for disposables' rights. Before & After

Rung presented the Functionist Council with a unique problem: no-one, not even Rung himself, knew the purpose of his altmode. This threatened to undermine their entire philosophy and the Grand Cybertronian Taxonomy itself, so the psychiatrist was subjected to repeated and rigorous tests and in the meantime, to "reassure" other Cybertronians, he was forced to wear a false wheel on his back. Eventually, even the Council found themselves stumped as to what Rung's purpose could be and so the problem was neatly sidestepped by creating a new entry in the Grand Cybertronian Taxonomy specifically for Rung's altmode: they classified him as an "ornament". Little Victories

The Functionist Universe

In an alternate timeline, the Functionist Council had conquered Cybertron after killing Nominus Prime and overthrowing the Senate. A World Misplaced When the theoconomists who interpreted the Taxonomy decided that a particular altmode was no longer useful, the Council would issue a "mass recall" (read: genocide) of that type of Transformer, and would update the Taxonomy accordingly. Dominus Ambus was tasked to work out how all the "animals" fit. After Minimus Ambus returned from Luna 2, he discovered that the three most ubiquitous alternate modes were energon dispenser, short-range communicator, and data slug, mostly because pretty much every other alternate mode had been killed off. Among the more recent casualties were the Lunabots, who had been stricken from the Taxonomy after the Black Box Consortia took control of the moon, rendering them useless. The data slugs followed shortly thereafter - despite the Taxonomy indicating that they still fulfilled a useful purpose - solely because the Council felt threatened by the amount of information they could store. The Custom-Made Now

A few years later, Functionist Council member Six-of-Twelve began experiencing a series of "visions" from Primus, foretelling a destructive war that would soon embroil Cybertron. The visions inspired him to begin fortifying the planet and its occupants in preparation for the conflict. Under the cover of having discovered a new hot spot, the Council began beefing up Cybertron's military class and construction classes; in reality, Six-of-Twelve was transferring Sparks into new bodies in direct violation of the principles of functionism. Disgusted by this violation of the Taxonomy and the blasphemy of the Council, Nine-of-Twelve joined the Anti-Vocationist League in protest. A World Misplaced