How to generate personal income is obviously an important consideration,
especially when considering what life would
be like in a rural intentional community. And especially, perhaps, in one that
isn't a
strictly egalitarian community. That reason being: only in strictly egalitarian
intentional communities is income producing work guaranteed to its members. That
this proposal isn't strictly
egalitarian, and so, would not
necessarily be guaranteeing "income producing work"(1)
to its members......might be disconcerting to those seeking
more surety in these matters. However, when one understands
how this community would work, those fears should be alleviated.
The theory is this: we can't have the
reward that gives "free
enterprise" its incentive, and at the same time have a strictly communistic egalitarianism
"guaranteeing" to provide for all our needs.
In this community, food,
shelter and the few other basic amenities would be guaranteed, yes, in exchange
for, approximately, 2 days of work a week. It is
theorized that this will be plenty to "guarantee" the necessary
basic security and social equality required to keep all in a
state of basic satisfaction and with feelings of goodwill towards
all. The more the community "guarantees", the more individual
freedom is lost. Obviously, "guaranteeing" food and shelter
comes at a "cost" as well, two days of "freedom". To those of us
conceiving this design, this is the
best solution we can imagine(2).
With the other five days a week basically "free" to choose what one would
like to do (or do nothing-not very likely, or at least very often) people will do what they usually do, which is
what they like to do; and
usually doing what one likes to do one is able to produce income. True, not
always a lot of income, but usually some; and that is one of the reasons for
setting this community up the way it is proposed, so that we do not need a lot of
income to survive, and so again, we will be able to do things that we love, are needed,
are useful and
that give us meaning and that we enjoy doing.
Now what if one just wants, or needs income, and can't think, necessarily, of
something to do to generate that income? One will do what one has to; isn't that
what we always do? This could range all the way from going into
"town" and washing dishes on Saturday night, to teaching in the
local high school. But
it is hard for me to imagine that this community would not be supportive and
helpful towards each other in our quest to get our needs met; either
through self-employment, or cooperatively run businesses. Though not necessarily providing
or "guaranteeing" employment, opportunities will
present themselves, especially over time; and there would
be other types of support too, such as suggestions, and general
help in resolving economic, business and employment issues.
Given the reward
and satisfaction inherent in
self-employment, and in cooperatively run businesses, it is expected efficiency
and productivity would be high. After all, people will be keeping their
income and doing with that income as they see fit. Reducing the need for a vast
quantities of money should make this task a lot easier.
Of course it should be noted, one could not engage in
usury or
exploitative economics. And just for an example, working at Wal-Mart for half
the year and then going surfing for the other half is not in the spirit of what
this intentional community idea is about. I give this example because I'm a surfer, or at least I have
been. If I want to go surfing I should move to a place where there is surf, and
if I want to live in a community and surf, I should live in a community where it's easy to
surf.
If one doesn't understand the difference between freedom to do what you want
to do, and the freedom to do things that
clearly are not
in the general best interest, or welfare of humanity or the
environment, I'm not sure further words will help much. Yes,
for sure, we could get pretty picky and judgmental about what is and
isn't in humanities and the environment's best interest.
Personally, I have little interest in being that picky or
judgmental. Prohibiting Usery seems largely enough. I
see no need to harp on individual's desires for, or to do, this or
that.
Footnotes:
(1) Of
course, it is impossible to say how employment and business
opportunities will develop. With the number of cooperative
businesses well established in the community, new members might well
be assured of employment within community businesses.....should
they so desire. Still, this is vastly different
than strictly egalitarian communities, or cult communes
that absolutely require
one's participation in the "community businesses". And, as
with any pioneering effort, the first few years are always a little
more difficult and challenging. If one is holding back,
waiting for others to pave the way, for others to take the initial
risks, and do the hard work....... given the world and its present
critical state, all I can say is, that hesitancy, and resistance is
a sad commentary on the human condition.
[back]
(2) Please
note that every possible effort will be made to accommodate
everyone's needs and desires regarding income producing businesses
(within ecologically sustainable and non-exploitative economic
principles, of course). In other words, it would be a
business friendly community. For instance, there might be a
business zone, or industrial zone as in cottage industry, and plenty
of land would be provided for commercial agriculture.
[back]
