I’m interesting in a forming a cooperative community based on a voluntary, egalitarian and democratic form of socialism (like a kibbutz) but which allows the members as much personal freedom as possible (people have choices, and they don’t have to agree on every little detail).
For now, the community is just a primitive camping cooperative (with one member who is rarely there). The easiest way to set up group ownership would be as a company with shareholders, but it would actually be a member owned cooperative. Zoning restricts us to one building or mobile home per lot, of which there are two. The land is zoned for agriculture/mining/recreation. It would probably be possible to get permission for a dormitory for farm workers (us) if we do agriculture, or we could set it up as a yurt camping resort and have housing for the employees (us), since zoning doesn’t allow multifamily homes. Currently the land is completely undeveloped, with no access to any utilities. The next major improvement would be a well (our neighbor to the west had one successfully drilled).
Solar or wind power will need to be developed eventually, as there is no affordable access to conventional power (there is a major power line but no transformer). Wind and sun are available in abundance. A septic system will also be needed.
If we can start some kind of business, I thought we might divide the profit on the basis of hours worked, with everyone being compensated at the same rate per hour. But before the profits were divided, we’d deduct community expenses. If we set it up this way, people could work the number of hours they choose (with some minimum). People could also work outside the community and share part of their income.
Ursula K. LeGuin wrote about a highly evolved form of such a community in her science fiction novel “The Dispossessed”, which is where the name “Anarres Two” comes from. The community would not be an attempt to recreate the society depicted on the planet Anarres in her book, but it’s an interesting vision of a non-hierarchical, cooperative society. Cooperative communities like the Zionist kibbutzes and Anabaptist Hutterite communities have been successful, but they are fairly rigid in their structure and ideology. At the other extreme, counter-cultural communes tend to lack a clear focus or long-term vision. I’d like to try to strike a balance, with cooperative, civil libertarian, democratic socialism as a unifying vision.
To demonstrate the viability of democratic, voluntary, cooperative socialism. But the details of exactly how the community will function will be worked out by the participants.
To demonstrate the viability of democratic, voluntary, cooperative socialism. But the details of exactly how the community will function will be worked out by the participants.
Email and discuss. Then, visit the site and, ideally, meet on the land. After one year of prospective membership, you can become a full member if you like, with the approval of a majority of the current members and a purchase of shares in the community. Members can camp on the land whenever they like, but camping is possibly limited to 30 days per year (that’s per person I would assume) by the zoning laws (if I understand them correctly). The land is zoned mining/agriculture/recreation, and camping would seem to be a recreational use, but zoning laws are not always logical.
You can email me for directions, but it’s a bit hard to find and get to, the land is completely undeveloped and there is usually no one there. I aspire to be there every year for a week or two in the late summer or fall, so that is the best time to visit. Email me or check the website for current details.
If you’re just looking for a free place to camp, I suggest Water Canyon National Rec Area just southeast of Winnemucca. They have trees, restrooms and, sometimes, a creek. You can also camp at Rye Patch State Recreation Area for a small fee, which has restrooms and water.
The whole membership decides collectively.
Members elect leaders who make decisions within defined roles.
Members contribute a percentage of income to community funds.
Join fee: Yes (amount not specified)
Monthly fees/dues: $10
Labor required: 10 hours/week
Members with pre-existing debt: Yes
Regarding required labor hours, when you’re on the land, you should try to leave it better than you found it. 10 hrs./week is just a suggestion.
Members buy shares when they join as a full member, which are repurchased by the community if they leave. The number of shares purchased ($1 per share?) is flexible, but for reference I have about $11,000 invested. Everyone would pay the monthly contribution to cover property taxes (currently about $70 a year), improvements, etc. and this will likely increase as the community develops. If we have a successful business, expenses for taxes, improvements, etc. could be paid as business expenses by the ‘corporation’ instead of by individual shareholders.
Outbuilding(s)
Countryside locations with significant distance from urban centers.
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