The Kibbutz of Kibbutzim

Recently a friend asked how I imagined the life in a libertarian socialist (communist, anarchist) society. It seems to me that the image of kibbutzim (which were self-governing communes in the recent past) gives a clear idea about it.

What do we see?

http://www.aaanything.net/wp-content/gallery/beautiful-aerial-photography/kibutz_de_sha_israel.png

The core of the kibbutz is the central building, the assembly house. It is here that all the key decisions about the organization of the community life, production and distribution are made. The elected council of the kibbutz that carries out administrative functions also sits here. The central building is surrounded by the residential area. Outside the residential area one can see the fields, enterprises and vehicles that are under common ownership and common management of the residents of the kibbutz. Here everyone knows each other and nobody is an alien. It’s an unusually dense, warm and vibrant society. However, it does not exclude the possibility of debate and the diversity of opinions. The kibbutzim often have groups conflicting on this or that problem and these arguments between them help to carry solutions which everyone finds acceptable, or, at least, to criticize the decisions of the majority.

Modern society cannot and should not exist only on the basis of autarkic communes, because they can not feed 7 billion people. The latter require metallurgical plants, power plants, modern medicine, universities, etc. That’s why a big society will be a giant circle of kibbutzim. Like the individual kibbutz members, they will share a common property of all major projects (created by the collective work of many individual communities), the overall distribution of the results of work of these enterprises, the common planning of the economy and life. The central councils of delegates of the kibbutzim will manage major objects, and the solutions about certain fundamental transformations in a large society will be taken at referendums.

In practice, the kibbutzim produce one or more specialized products for the market and also provide themselves with some other things. In our scheme of a non-market society we can talk about branch associations of the kibbutzim, which produce, for example, foodstuff or various types of clothing, in which case the central complex of enterprises will be the result of common efforts of such associations. The main point is that every member of a small community is interested in the prosperity of others, because the well-being of everyone, including himself, depends on the productive labor of every member of the community. It is also important that the people in question are not strangers to each other. They are connected by constant debates on the community management, etc. Similarly, the prosperity of all kibbutzim will depend on the successful work of the kibbutz members at the central enterprises.

... Researchers studying the Kalahari Bushman society noted that aggressive individuals who cannot negotiate with others are excluded from the communities. Apparently, aggressive groups are also excluded from the general system of the Bushman society, which is a huge commune of communes, stitched by systems of mutual aid, family and friendly relationships. Apparently, the life in a communist society of the future will be organized similarly. Excessive self-interest of individuals or groups will not be encouraged; collectives that are incapable of reaching agreement will be disconnected from the common network and will lead a miserable autarkic existence. It is how operates a selection mechanism that encourages a collectivist culture.

P.S. Speaking about the kibbutzim, we certainly meant their past. Most of today's kibbutzim are not communist communities.