Posted by Editors on August 25, 2008 at 18:15:19:
In Reply to: off topic... sorta posted by NJD on August 22, 2008 at 12:59:41:
The desire to live in a society in which profit is replaced by cooperation is not a new concept, and is still being 'hoped for'. With advanced tools, such a society is possible. But the term 'commune' still conveys 'utopianism' and ultimately, failure.
There's reason, and its not that people 'can't cooperate'!
It is at its core, the idea has been a fundamental goal of many people throughout the ages. The 'modern' commune idea took popular root in the 19th century as a reaction to a burgeoning, brutal capitalist industrial economy that rapidly expanded the profits of a few from the exploited labor of a new working class. Many tried in these early 'experiments' to enact Romantic ideals, while others were connected to religious groups like the Quakers, Shakers, founding places such as the Amana & Oneida colonies; others were connected to utopian thinkers in the Owenite movement, or to the aesthetic ideas of the Arts & Crafts Movement throughout Europe, England and America They all espoused brotherly love, simplicity of living and a return to nature. While regaining popularity in the 1960's with the 'back to earth movement' of the Hippie era, the notion of 'communes' basically declined by the late 20thc when it became obvious that once the commune- no matter how well organized, no matter how well intended, no matter how hard the members worked-- had to deal with the 'market', the "outside/capitalist world", they were outstripped by the ability of capitalist exploitation to exploit others....and ended up doing nothing more than 'exploiting themselves'.
There ARE some communes still around, probably many more than we hear about. The underlying problem is that they must be totally independent or attempt to be. Farming, weaving,child-rearing all the labor-intensive activities of these groups eventually tend to end up becoming'self exploitive', 'authoritarian'
(possibly in the name of efficiency) or leave the commune overworked, disconnected & poor. Simply put, historically, they don't last very long because they must interact with the larger Capitalist economy which controls the institutions, legal framework, and social
services. For a 'naturally-functioning cooperative democracy' to succeed, to be productive, healthy and sustaining, capitalism-as the economic superstructure of the social order- must be replaced with a vibrant, cooperative socially-owned & managed economy. Small communes will fail without the ability to produce-democratically- all the things we need and envision & want in a healthy, sustainable modern society.This is basically what we call for in People For A New Society. Thanks for the question....Editors