There was been one successful communal system in the 20th century. Anybody know where? You might be surprised.
I suspect you're thinking of the kibbutzim (not certain I'm spelling that correctly).
Right you are. Most of the land of modern Isreal was purchased through a central agency - mostly swamps and desert areas bought from the Effendi (fuedal Arab landowners). The land was reclaimed and then run as communal farms called Kibbutz. It is correct that this system was voluntary, but it was not always harmonious. The Kibbutzim gradually devolved central ownership to private, but the fact remains, they made it work. Communism can work, but only at the subsistence level, where everyone must depend on each other for survival. Beyond that, it is a failure.