Join me to Set Up
a Commune in the North
So, it's now 8th March 2020. Ever since I got back I've been turning over and over the idea of setting up a large-scale commune, mostly modelled on Twin Oaks, with bits of Ganas, Can Tonal/ Vallbona Mutual Aid and old-school Monastic/Abbey living thrown in.
In other words:
- egalitarian - income/wealth sharing, equal access to resources and decision-making
- 100-200 people
- mostly communal, with porous/soft/flexible boundaries (everyone has their own room)
- generating income collectively through community businesses
- relatively self-sufficient and with an understanding that always increasing self-sufficiency is probably wise given the increasing problems facing us/society/the planet
- skill- & knowledge-sharing inside and beyond the community
- a commitment to always improving inter-personal communication and self-knowledge
- enjoy and take pride in work and doing a good job and serving others/the community
- a regenerative approach to the health of the land, ourselves, our relationships and our ecology
- an understanding that the state and capitalism are not our friends
- solidarity and practical aid beyond our community
- an inter-generational community which values the contributions and meets the needs of different age groups: from each according to their ability, to each according to their need.
- Being as accessible as possible: physically, mentally and emotionally
Ideally in West or South Yorkshire or East Lancashire.
I could go on, I've been thinking about many aspects of this for a long time, but it's obviously time to start finding the people to do this with, before I decide what times the communal meals are served each day!
If you want to be one of those people or you just want to be kept informed of progress, please fill in the form at the bottom of this page.
While I haven't got any actual plans for what to do next, i imagine i'll have some sort of get together in autumn or winter 2020 for the beginnings of a group.
**Update 24 Oct 2020**
4 of us met up to kick the project off! We were Cath, Ben C, Mikee, Jack (plus Luke for the first half). Here's what we decided:
Agreement on general locational ideals: North/ West Yorks /Lancs etc....
Agreement on meeting times. Regularly Saturdays at 14h30 to 16h00
Recruits would ideally:
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Come before we start study circles
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Have read these two articles:
https://peacenews.info/node/9288/diary-impossible-plan
https://peacenews.info/node/9336/diary-i-propose-starting-study-circles -
Have filled in form below
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Listen to GPaul podcast at https://soundcloud.com/point-a-gpaul/income-sharing-across-the-pond
To Do...
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consider comms, eg alternative to slack, https://opensource.com/alternatives/trello
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Recruitment ideas & individuals
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Jitsi hookups in Mornings if we want https://meet.jit.si/P6WaterCooler
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Consider resources for a study circle
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Think next time about keeping non attendees up to date
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Consider starting a kitty for expenses/building up a fund
