What’s a Commune, Really? Life Inside an Income-Sharing Community

Ever dream of ditching the mainstream and joining a hippy commune?

The stereotypical commune has been sensationalized for decades in pop culture. Negative stereotypes abound – poor, dirty, crazy, cult-like, and dangerous.

But what is a commune, really? Do they still exist today?

Can you live in a commune? Can you visit one? And would you even want to? How do communes differ from other forms of intentional community? And how do they work, practically speaking?

Let’s dive into the world of communes.

What’s the definition of a commune?

A commune is often perceived as a radical or hippy form of intentional community, with people living off-grid in a rural area. However, within the intentional communities movement, a “commune” specifically refers to an income-sharing community or at least a community with a high degree of economic sharing.

Most communes share values of egalitarianism and a desire to create an alternative economic system to capitalism. They are places where members pool resources, share responsibilities, and work together to create a sustainable and equitable living environment.

In the blog Commune Life, author Raven reiterates that commune is synonymous with income-sharing, “My hope is that through Commune Life we can make the idea of communes as income-sharing communities more widespread–and maybe more attractive, too.”

How is a commune different from other types of intentional communities?

A commune is just one of many types of intentional communities.

The vast majority of intentional communities do not share income. Residents of most intentional communities have largely separate finances, with their own jobs either working from home or commuting, much like the rest of society. Most intentional communities do not have shared businesses and are primarily residential neighborhoods or cooperative living arrangements.

In contrast, communes operate on a different model where income and resources are shared, and the community functions more like a collective. This level of shared responsibility and resources is what sets communes apart from other intentional communities.

“You give everything you have to the collective, and the collective gives everything it has to you. That’s the exchange.” say GPaul, founder of Compersia Commune.

Could you live in a commune or are you better suited to another type of intentional community?

Take this short quiz to find out if a commune or another community type is a fit for you.

What’s the history of communes?

Communes have a long and varied history, often emerging in response to economic hardship or social dissatisfaction. According to historian Timothy Miller in his book Communes in America, 1975-2000, intentional communities have been around for centuries.

Alexa Clayis writes about the relation of communitarian experimentation in relation to hard times:

“The largest surge in communitarian ‘start-ups’ occurred during the 1840s and 1890s, coinciding with periods of economic depression. But it would be a mistake to see intentional communities merely as a knee-jerk response to hard times. In historic terms, a broader discontent with industrial society has led to people flocking to communes, utopias and spiritual settlements, from eco-villages and ‘back to the land’ style settlements designed to create sustainable lifestyles and a stronger relationship to nature, to communities founded with spiritual or idealist visions for transforming human character and creating new blueprints of society. Of course, the ‘cult’ label is never far behind. Many intentional communities have had to fight their own public-relations battles in the wake of negative or sensational publicity.”  (source)

Despite the controversy, some communes have endured, providing a blueprint for alternative ways of living that challenge the norms of capitalism and individualism.

Are there still communes?

While it’s true that many communes were founded during the 1960s, there are still active communes today, and new ones are forming.

You can visit communes in-person during the tour of Virginia intentional communities. Learn more at ecovillagetours.com/virginia.

Today, there are about a dozen income-sharing communities, or communes, in the United States, with a handful in Europe, mostly in Germany, and one currently forming in Canada. Some of these income-sharing communities are also asset-sharing, but most are not.

The Federation of Egalitarian Communities (TheFEC.org) is a network of income-sharing communities where you can see the current number of members and learn more about these unique communities.

The principles of the FEC communities are as follows.

What are some examples of modern-day communes?

Here are a few examples of modern-day communes that continue to thrive:

• Twin Oaks Community (founded 1967)
  • Located in rural Virginia, Twin Oaks is home to around 90 adults and 15 children. Established in 1967, the community values cooperation, sharing, nonviolence, equality, and ecology. Twin Oaks operates several businesses, including hammock making and tofu production, to support its members.
• East Wind Community (founded 1974)
  • Situated in the Missouri Ozarks, East Wind Community consists of 67 adults and 5 children. Founded in 1974, the community holds its land, labor, and resources in common, striving to create an egalitarian and communal lifestyle that encourages individuality and diversity.
• Acorn Community (founded 1993)
  • A medium-sized community in central Virginia, Acorn Community includes 28 adults and 4 children. Founded in 1993, Acorn shares income generated from the sale of heirloom seeds, operating as a collective with a focus on sustainability and shared resources.

How do communes and income-sharing communities work?

In a typical commune, members either have outside jobs and pool their income, or they work within businesses owned by the commune. For example, Compersia Commune in Washington, D.C., is an urban income-sharing community where residents have normal jobs, like being a school teacher or technician, but their income is pooled and managed collectively for the benefit of all members.

On the other hand, Twin Oaks in Virginia, the largest and oldest secular income-sharing community in the United States, operates 7 businesses and grows most of its own food. All able members contribute to running these businesses, as well as handling home maintenance and childcare, with a labor quota of about 38 hours per week. In return, members have their housing, food, medical insurance, tax payments, and other basic needs covered by the community. Residents receive a small stipend for personal expenses.

Watch Twin Oaks resident, Paxus, explain the economic structure of the commune in this recent interview with community matchmaker, Cynthia Tina.

The commune economic arrangements aim to discourage envy and material inequality among members, fostering harmony and cooperation within the community.

Are people happy in communes?

Living in a commune offers a unique set of benefits. For many, the reduced financial burdens, sense of belonging, and opportunities for personal growth and skill development make commune life appealing. The community-oriented lifestyle allows members to focus on what they enjoy while ensuring that all necessary tasks are completed through shared responsibilities.

However, life in a commune is not without its challenges. Sometimes, members must take on tasks they would rather avoid if no one else is responsible for them. Personality conflicts and stress can arise in such close-knit living arrangements. Romantic relationships can also test the functionality of a commune, particularly if they disrupt the community’s balance.

Despite these challenges, the egalitarian structure of most communes, where no one holds a permanent position of power, allows for a dynamic and flexible way of life. Decisions can be appealed, and leadership roles are often rotated, ensuring that no one person dominates the community.

For more into the happiness research of communal living, check out the BBC article, Why Living With Strangers Can Make Us Happier.

What are the drawbacks of living in a commune?

While the benefits of living in a commune are many, there are also significant drawbacks. The communal lifestyle requires a high level of cooperation and compromise, which can be stressful and challenging, especially when personality conflicts arise.

In some cases, members might need to take on responsibilities they are not enthusiastic about, simply because the community needs those tasks to be done. The shared financial arrangements, such as communal savings accounts, can also be a point of contention, especially if there is a lack of clarity or agreement on how funds should be used.

Learn more about the pros and cons of living in a commune in this short video, The Pros and Cons of Living in an Income-Sharing Commune.

Common misconceptions about communes

Many myths and misconceptions surround the idea of communes, often fueled by pop culture and misunderstandings. Let’s debunk some of the most common ones:

• Communes are not cults: They are democratic, with collective decision-making by all members.
• Communes are not outdated: They thrive today, integrating modern practices and technology.
• Communes attract diverse members: People from all walks of life join, not just “hippies.”
• Living in a commune doesn’t mean losing personal freedom: Members maintain individual choices and privacy.
• Communes can be economically stable: Many sustain themselves through shared businesses and pooled resources, providing financial security.

Get an inside look into the largest commune in the US in this short video, Inside America’s Hidden “Utopia” Commune.

Can you live in a commune?

Technically anyone can live in a commune, although you’d need to be accepted by the community first and decide that’s where you want to live.

Take this short quiz to find out if a commune or another type of intentional community is a fit for you.

Many communes are open to new members or have waiting lists. Due to the need to carefully balance the community’s economy and labor pool, the availability of membership for specific age groups or skill sets can fluctuate over time.

For example, Twin Oaks provides care for non-working elders and children, so they must balance the needs of these populations with the capacity of the working population to support them. 

The best way to find out if you’d be a fit for commune life is to visit one!

Twin Oaks has a regularly running visitor program you can sign up for, and they also host the annual Communities Conference over Labor Day weekend. 

Additionally, Ecovillage Tours offers a special commune tour around the Communities Conference where you can visit eight intentional communities within a small guided group. This why you don’t have to feel alone while visiting these communities and can get extra support from an experience communities guide. Learn more at ecovillagetours.com/virginia.

What do you think about communes?

Leave a comment below with your ideas, questions, and experiences with communes!