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To: traviskicks

Does a hippie commune have a government?


42 posted on 03/09/2005 3:41:50 AM PST by Nataku X (Food for Thought: http://web2.airmail.net/scsr/)
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To: Nataku X

Does a hippie commune have a government?
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Sure. They have rules how they accept new people and rules of conduct, distribution etc... Certain individuals, like the founders, or those with leadership traits have more sway then others. I guess you could call their form of government communist. However, what is important is the size of the network. Familes are 'communist', but there is a level of trust that enables them to function normally.

This is where sociology breaks down into psychology. If everyone was a good person and everyone was trusting then socialism/communism looks fairly attractive. The problem is that a majority of people will not work their fair share for people they don't know and will take advantage of the fact that 'everything is everyones'. People don't
trust strangers and those who wield raw power the harshest begin to take control. Morality soon breaks down. Also, the advantages of a market for increasing productivity and selecting out good and bad companies becomes more apparent in larger populations.

Small communist groups can sometimes succeed. Even small socialist countries like Sweden have survived for a remarkably long time, with 'relative' prosperity in a socialistic system.

What would your answer be to your question?


43 posted on 03/09/2005 4:38:55 AM PST by traviskicks (http://www.neoperspectives.com/foundingoftheunitedstates.htm)
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