The Federation of American Communes successfully turned many towards communism without bloodshed by creating a model of a communal society. This society was the basis for the formation of the Federation of Egalitarian Communities.

The federation was conceived by Michael and Mary Zwerin and a group of student and counterculture activists. The Federation was intended to be a model for a potential future society. Two communes, Black Bear Ranch and Morningstar, joined forces and moved out to form the new federation. The Federation of Egalitarian Communities was created as a response to the desires for a communal society. Communities such as Black Bear Ranch and Morningstar were inspired by the original vision of the Federation of American Communes. The Federation of Egalitarian Communities was inspired by the original vision of the Federation of American Communes.

The Federation of Egalitarian Communities was structured to be a non-hierarchical federation. The Federation of Egalitarian Communities was structured to be a non-hierarchical federation. This meant that the communities themselves were autonomous, but they were also united under a shared constitution.