Communalism

Communalism (with a big C, Bookchin's communisalism being more glorious than other communalisms) is a political ideology created by Murray Bookchin.[1]

The flag of Rojava, a communalist region

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Not to be confused with the term "communalism" as used mainly in South Asia.

Bookchin's philosophy is first based on libertarian municipalism. Libertarian municipalism is about free towns: cities would have more liberty that would be based on direct democracy. It is also the replacement of the state with a confederation of towns.[2][3]

The term "Communalism" can also refer to other ideologies in which property is put into communal ownership. It includes what Marx called primitive communism, where people would share everything with their tribe. A form of Communalism was practiced by the followers of some weird Jew in the Middle East, who preached the principle of putting all in common (and who also seemed to hate death penalty, and was progressive for his time when it came to women's rights, much like in Rojava).[4] Communalism was also practiced by the moron Mormon Church.[5]

Economy

Communalist economics propose the abolition of markets and money and that enterprises and land should be put in the custody of citizens in free assemblies and their delegates in confederal councils. In contrast to a centrally planned economy, the economy of Communalism would be a municipal economy: each commune would manage its economy independently. Murray Bookchin's economic ideas derive from the marxim Marxist maxim "from each according to his ability, to each according to his need".[6]

Social ecology

Social ecology is the idea that ecological problem comes from social problems. It may sound like pseudoscience, but Bookchin doesn't say that social problems magically cause pollution, but that ecological problems comes from hierarchies, structures because the idea that "man must dominate nature" comes "from the domination of man by man".[7] It is therefore a sociological point of view, not woo. Bookchin explains that media has fostered mindless consumption. He also claims that mass consumption of "green products" is just another form of consumerism which he calls "green capitalism" and is not ecological at all. This is pretty much true: for example, if we replaced our cars with electric cars, there would still be planned obsolescence, and psychological obsolescence, which would lead people to change their cars often, leading to a mass production of these cars, which would be very damaging for the environment.

Historical examples

The PKK

The Kurdistan Workers' Party is a movement of Kurds who are mostly known for fighting Erdogan. It once wanted to create an independent state, Kurdistan, based on Marxism-Leninism. Öcalan then changed the ideology of the party, adopting Democratic Confederalism, which is basically Communalism, with anarchist feminism.[8]

Rojava

The autonomous region of Syria, Rojava, is based on Communalism. Rojava is multi-ethnic with a large Kurdish population. It has implemented some of Bookchin's ideas, for example, it has implemented libertarian municipalism. A third of Rojava's property has been put in communal property.[9] Rojava has implemented a system of ownership by use, which means if a person does not use something, they lose their right to own it. Rojava also does not have taxes, being instead funded by selling oil and other natural resources, and by border crossing fees.[10] A third of enterprises are managed by worker councils and 75% of private property is under social ownership. Rojava's economy is self-reported as being fine for now, as there are more jobs and a more diverse economy.[11][12] According to the head of the Economic Body and chairman of Afrin University, Rojava's economy accounts for 55% of Syria's GDP.[13] With Communalism, Muslims, women's rights and multiculturalism, Rojava is the absolute, ultimate nightmare of the GOP. However, existing as they do on the Syrian side of the Turkish border, Rojava's continued existence is highly precarious during the ongoing Syrian Civil War. The government of Rojava wants to eliminate police in the long term.[14] Officers in the army of Rojava are elected by military units.[15][16]

The army of Rojava has been found to be responsible of war crimes by Amnesty International. Rojava might still be considered to have made some progress in human rights, because they enforce gender and race equality. [17] .

External Links

What is Communalism? The Democratic Dimension of Anarchism by Murray Bookchin

References

1. http://dwardmac.pitzer.edu/anarchist_archives/bookchin/cmmnl2.mcw.html
2. https://theanarchistlibrary.org/library/murray-bookchin-libertarian-municipalism-an-overview
3. http://social-ecology.org/1991/04/libertarian-municipalism-an-overview/
4. And all that believed were together, and had all things common; And sold their possessions and goods, and parted them to all men, as every man had need. Acts of the Apostles, 2:44-2:45
5. https://en.wikisource.org/wiki/The_Doctrine_and_Covenants/Section_42
6. http://social-ecology.org/wp/2002/09/harbinger-vol-3-no-1-the-communalist-project/
7. https://libcom.org/files/Post-Scarcity%20Anarchism%20-%20Murray%20Bookchin.pdf
8. http://www.cvltnation.com/anarchists-vs-isis-the-revolution-in-syria-nobodys-talking-about/
9. http://www.tangledwilderness.org/a-mountain-river-has-many-bends/#more-1040
10. http://www.biehlonbookchin.com/poor-in-means/
11. https://rojavareport.wordpress.com/2015/07/31/communal-economy-grows-in-rojava-despite-war/
12. https://rojavareport.wordpress.com/2014/12/22/efrin-economy-minister-rojava-challenging-norms-of-class-gender-and-power/
13. http://www.al-monitor.com/pulse/originals/2016/04/kurdish-areas-norther-syria-economy-self-sufficiency.html
14. https://zcomm.org/znetarticle/no-this-is-a-genuine-revolution/
15. https://zcomm.org/znetarticle/no-this-is-a-genuine-revolution/
16. http://www.supportrojava.org/

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