Successful Intentional Community

[BlueNote]

Click the links below for a rare example of a commune/intentional community idea that has successfully survived and adapted and accepts new members from the outside world on a regular basis.

Twin Oaks IC

East Wind

They have productive work, food, medical care, entertainment, community, a localized political system, infrastructure etc.

I personally wouldn't want that kind of life unless I was desperate to survive. Nonetheless it's an example of what has worked vs hundreds of other communes that failed. I think one of the key parts that make it work is that they have a safety valve in that rules and committee votes can and do kick people out.

I wonder if people with a more frugal , individualistic, capitalist bent would be able to start a similar community. Sharing certain resources is much more economical, but to avoid the tragedy of the commons I think experience shows that you need to have an effective and fair safety valve.

[henrik]

This is one is pretty well known in Europe
http://www.siebenlinden.de/

[EdithKeeler]

The Farm has been going since the early 70's in TN.
http://thefarmcommunity.com/today_farm_housing.html

[EdithKeeler]

The Fellowship for Intentional Community has a directory on their website of lots of intentional communities, what type they are, whether accepting new members, etc.

http://www.ic.org/

[anomie]

One of the key reasons Twin Oaks and East Wind survived is because they found early in their existence a viable commercial product that required low skill to make so that people could drop in and out to work on but good profit (hammock-making for Twin Oaks (multi-million dollar contract with Pier One at one point..) , and various goods for East Wind including East Wind Nut Butter and Tahini, found in national grocery store chains). They had some smart members who did some great business deals.

@BlueNote
Homesteading communities - where each person is responsible for their own welfare, home, livelihood, etc, but are still open to tool-sharing and other resource sharing at a practical level - may be be closer to what you have in mind for an ERE community.

Though homesteaders in general are a little tougher than the average ERE forum reader in my estimation.. (How many people want to build their own home or grow their own food.. ?)

ahh I still remember searching the Internet 15 years ago for "Galt's Gulch", the libertarian utopia ... never found it..

[JamesR]

Yeah, buying a large plot of land, splitting it up between members and building your own homes sounds like a good starting point for a community.

[Riggerjack]

"I think one of the key parts that make it work is that they have a safety valve in that rules and committee votes can and do kick people out."

Spoken like someone who believes he/she will always be subject to fair rules and a just committee. While I'm sure such things exist, they don't exist continuously. Factionalism will always be the rule. When your faction is in the minority, that's when you get to see how fair that safety valve is.

Why go to the expense and trouble of building your ideal space, only to then subject yourself to the will of your neighbors?

[simplex]

I'd qualify the community I live in as successful in the sense that it exists already 35 years. Yes, we have a committee or meeting where everybody can vote. An yes, we regularly not all have the same view on topics, for example should we build a sauna in the communal space, should we close the trampoline at night, ...
But that is not a (big) problem, as taking part in community life is voluntary. So if you live in our community, but decide to ignore it and stay in your house, fine. The rest won't bother you. Up to now we have enough active members, and most people not wanting to get involved leave after some time (making space for new, active members). So it seems most conflicts that come from people thinking others are obliged to do or not to do something do not arise.
For people participating, you can get much out of the community: social life, shared shopping, car sharing, pet-sitting, sometimes house-sitting, cooking and meals together in a community house, a large garden, baby-sitting, furniture and stuff exchange, ...
Our community is a living arrangement, so you need to get your money from outside, and we try to keep monetary transactions outside the community. I think introducing money into a community changes the social dynamics to the worse.

[GandK]

CNN recently profiled some communes and "co-living" situations:

UTOPIA: IT’S COMPLICATED, INSIDE NEW-AGE AND VINTAGE COMMUNES

The video profiles several communities; the article below the video is all Twin Oaks.