This is going to be a bittersweet thread. This is an answer I gave to a post, but more detailed. Right now, capitalism is the hegemonic force controlling everyone and everything, and if the batshit insane "great reset" thing somehow happens, it'll make what I'm going to say even more tempting.
For those of you who are out of the loop, the "Great Reset" is summed up by these words : you'll own nothing, and you'll be happy. I won't go into the details, but this is some gloomy shit, especially more so since several world leaders, including Joe Biden, Trudeau and Boris Johnson voiced their support for such ideas. Basically, advancing capitalism to its last stage, where enterprises are "heavily encouraged" to invest into renewables and welfare services, creating a "responsible capitalism". Except states are going to use this opportunity to flush out any kind of anti-capitalism, and are going to cooperate hand-in-hand with private entities for their mutual benefice. If it does ring a few bells, it's because corporations working hand-in-hand with states to ensure their rule in times of troubles is called fascism.
Anyway, I don't think it's going to work in the long run, capitalism is doomed to fail. I have seen countless posts on socialist subs, and chapo.chat mentioning the existential nightmare of living under capitalism today, and the fear of living like this for the foreseable future, or the rest of their lives. The solution lies in not playing their game, at all. And I'm not talking about launching a revolution, that is sure to come no matter what at this point. This is the plan B or C, as in, if everything else fails.
Last year, I went to Spain precisely because I wanted not to live a life under capitalism. That was it, but I didn't exactly want to return to monke and live in the woods. So I started looking for any kind of hope that a better world was possible. What I found amazed me. I travelled to a village of 2.5k inhabitants in Southern Spain named Marinaleda.
The village, while existing in a region struck by poverty, had not a single one of its inhabitants living a destitute life. The population, agrarian in nature, fought a drawn-out battle against a nobleman for their right to own the land they cultivate, and won. They now operate one agricultural coop which provide employment to much of the working folks, and grew over time. These are however not enough for total self-sufficiency, as they're still allocated regional funds, and use them to survive like all villages in Spain. However, they are making use of these funds far better than the rest of the country : while receiving 8% less than average, they manage to have their own school, high-school, swimming pool, stores, restaurants/cafés and so on. The streets are extremely clean, and everyone lives in a decent house, with a 100m² garden to spare; these houses were built free of charge with the help of the village, by the people, for the people. There's no crime at all, nor any poverty or unemployment. In a region that had a 30% rate unemployment in 2008, and still hasn't entirely recovered from 2008 either. The population is fiercely socialist, the mayor's office has the flags of Cuba, Venezuela and the Spanish Republic's, alongside the portrait of Chavez (IIRC) and Che. The walls of the village are painted with revolutionary art, depicting various figures and slogans known to any leftist, making its ideological differences with the rest of Spain even more clear.
And that was it, I wanted to stay there and build a life, university and jobs back in France be damned. But unfortunately, the housing was reserved to those who had a job in the village or were rich enough to sustain themselves, and the jobs at the coop were understandably reserved for the inhabitants first. I didn't have the necessary skillset for the few jobs that were there, nor enough cash to survive on the long run, so RIP for that lmao. I also learned that I wasn't the first one, there have been many, many socialists who came all the way down to Andalusia to look for an escape to capitalism. A few nationalities include Croats, Germans, Greeks, British and French. I came home without anything concrete, and yet, it gave me a sliver of hope. This is just a small village using agriculture and regional funds to provide for all of its members. It proves that a community, however small, can provide for its people, even if it's not easy.
Even if we fail to achieve a revolution, we won't be the only ones to seek a way-out of capitalism, and such a way out is possible. Building a small, independant town is probably possible, and so is the possibilty of a collapse-proof way of life. We aren't necessarily doomed to live as cogs in a system that wants to extract the life out of us, and beat us into submission. Furthermore, seeking to live outside of capitalism doesn't mean you have to remain isolated from a possible revolution, it is just an insurance in case things go horribly wrong, which they will at some point.
Well, I'm not so sure about this. That's pessimism talking, but there's no way they don't attempt something when China is leaving this crisis unscathed, while the entirety of the western world is still plunged deep in this pandemic, and its consequences. As you said however, there's a right wing side to it, with the usual takes that the rich will create a new world order and steal your penis.
It's called end-stage capitalism.
In other words, the stage right before it turns into a more stable techno-feudalism.
The municipality was the subject of national news when it became known that one could own a house in this town for no more than 15 euros per month through the self-building program
The Ayuntamiento (local government) of Marinaleda bought and expropriated thousands of square metres of land, now communal property, for the construction of new houses. Land, building materials, and architectural plans are provided to the self-builder through public grants. Free assistance from professional builders is also provided. The hours spent by the resident on construction (if any) are deducted from the total cost. Prospective owners usually donate about 450 days of their work to the construction. Finally, a monthly payment of up to 15,52 euros is arranged with the contractors and the government for the resident to achieve ownership. To prevent speculation, citizens are prohibited from selling their homes.
Really sounds like a cool place.
Building a small, independant town is probably possible, and so is the possibilty of a collapse-proof way of life. We aren’t necessarily doomed to live as cogs in a system that wants to extract the life out of us, and beat us into submission. Furthermore, seeking to live outside of capitalism doesn’t mean you have to remain isolated from a possible revolution, it is just an insurance in case things go horribly wrong, which they will at some point.
One quick info: those projects are good when they are in part revolutionary, which this is. It is also bound to be crushed if it gets to successful and powerful by capitalist forces in a crisis or when colonialism turns inwards or fascism happens to grow again.
Any project that doesn't think about militant means will get problems sooner or later. As will every project that tries to do on its own without monetary influx of the existing system. Finally many free spaces were ecpropriated and sold by neoliberals, eg GSW to Deutsche Wohnen, and as such the best thing would be to have a multitude of setups in capitalist states, not all in the hand of the municipality and also containing powerful councils in themselves to crush reactionary spirit.
There are communes everywhere, some more developed and ancient than others, surely there must be one where one can live a better life, near you that is.
If you grow a herb and use it up before it is full or will not satisfy anyone, there is a limit for young plants and seeds growing up.
Though I understand a lot of critique, the elements of other organisation and the elements that seem to challenge property and how expropriation is used in neoliberalism is important.
That's a lot of incorrect assumptions. firstly, I just visited there, didn't get "kicked out" or whatever you mean. Secondly, I am learning to speak Spanish, and can have some basic conversations without too much difficulties, not everyone is like Americans, speaking only one language. Third, I never said it was about challenging capitalistic hegemony, but finding a last resort plan not to live a life under this system.
