On Ecosocialist Potential Inside of Ecovillages

There is a slogan on Global Ecovillages Network website: "Connecting Communities for a Sustainable World". It is completely understandable. The purpose of the network is providing knowledge about ecovillages, and connecting each other. At the present time, it is known that there are more than 1000 local ecovillage projects on the all around the world and among them around 130 in Europe. It means, they are widespread, and have notice of other ecovillages.

On the other hand, Kovel who is the one of auther of Ecosocialist Manifesto makes mention of ecosocialist unities and affinity groups. Then, he portrays a dialectical process for ecosocialism: these unities and groups will engage each other, and grow up. They willl generate an ecosocialist continental with helping of the ecosocialist party.

As we known, both ecosocialism and ecovilllages are alternatives which present against to capitalism. Ecosocialism as a politicial stream is fostered socialist theory that is still a uniqe option to capitalism, and it adds ecological framework to socialism. It fictionalizes a new civilization that is equality, solidarity, collectivism, respect to the natural cycle, the use of value-oriented, is managed through the participatory democracy. From the other side, ecovillages are intentional communities which is offered a new lifestyle against to the destruction of capitalism. All in all, there are a number of similarities between ecosocialism and ecovillages. As a matter of fact, this article was already based on this point.

In this article, it will be searched that ecovillages have an ecosocialist potential, or not. In addition, it will be supported with the results of surveys. Besides, I should say that the survey questions were prepared according to ecosocialist criteria, and filled out by ecovillage members who live in an ecovillages in Germany.

The Method of the Research and its Process

In this part of the article, I will explain the research plan and methods in more detail. I used not only literature about ecovillages and ecosocialism, and compared them, but also used survey as a quantitative research tool to support my ideas. Cause the points that I wonder about could be effectively tested with a survey. Accordingly, I wanted to support the propositions that composed by using ecosocialist criteria with the results of survey. In addition, it should be added that after the process of survey, the results were analyzed by using SPSS(Statistical Package for the Social Sciences) program for statistical analysis of data.

The survey consists three parts. First part includes open-ended questions(two units) in order to get respondents' personal opinion about deciding to live in an ecovillage. Second part of it comprises the propositions about current situation in ecovillage, and the last part includes the propositions about personal comment. There are multiple choice propositions for the last parts of the survey, and it can be found in the Appendix A.

Ecovillages which were filled the survey out were chosen for the research according to:

• The type of the community

• The recognition of them(It means their reputation)

• Location(The research was limited to the ecovillages in Germany)

• The main theme that the ecovillages were based on

• The dimensions which they care about (Ecological, social, cultural, and economical)

• Desire of the members to help me(I could not get a response from some ecovillages)

It was contacted to them by phone and via e-mail, and it is utilized “Global Ecovillages Network” for these information. The ecovillages that I have contacted for my research are Sieben Linden Ecovillage, ZEGG Ecovillage, Familia Feliz Ecovillage, Kommune Niederkaufungen, and Schloss Tonndorf Ecovillage. Moreover, I should say that these ecovillages were overly interested in my research, and I got different recomendation for the research from them. I will give more detail about them:

- 3 women and 8 men have filled the survey out from separated ecovillages.

- 1 respondent was from Sieben Linden, 1 from Kommune Niederkaufungen, 1 from Familia Feliz, 2 respondents were from ZEGG, and the last 6 from Schloss Tanndorf Ecovillage. Since I visited Schloss Tanndorf, I prefered face to face surveys from there.

- The average age of the respondents is 42.4; the youngest respondent being 30 years old, and the oldest one is 59. These numbers can be changed according to the age of ecovillage. Cause first ones established at the end of 1980's, and the respondents from old ecovillages are older than the respondents from new ecovillages.

- It can be said that the respondents are generally well-educated people according to their educational status. It can be seen with more detail in the figure below.

Schloss Tanndorf was visited and the survey was filled out face to face with 6 respondents, but the others filled the survey out online. Although the research is about ecovillages in Germany, it is in English. Nevertheless, respondents have communicated with me in English to help me and filled it out in English. We could easily share our experiences each other in this way.

Bird's Eye View of These Ecovillages

As mentioned in the previous section, the survey was realized with five ecovillages. These are Sieben Linden Ecovillage, Kommune Niederkaufungen, ZEGG Ecovillage, Familia Feliz Ecovillage and Schloss Tonndorf Ecovillage in Germany. On the map below, it can be seen ecovillages' locations in Germany.

It was composed a table below to create a general idea about these ecovillages before the analysis Their date of establishment, type of field, number of people there, and size were added to compare them in a meaningful way.

As seen on the Table 4, all of these ecovillages are in rural areas, and have different number of people. The oldest ecovillage is Kommune Niederkaufungen, and the youngest one is Schloss Tanndorf Ecovillage. Kommune Niederkaufungen has the biggest size with 30.1 hektares, Sieben Linden has 20 hektares, ZEGG and Schloss Tanndorf have 15 hektares, and Familia Feliz has 1.8 hektares .

Interpreting Ecovillages According to The Ecosocialist Criteria

For this part of the article, first of all, the ecosocialist criteria were specified by me. After it was read the literature that related to ecovillages, it is searched for ecosocialist potential inside of ecovillages, and was put on paper with relevant examples. Then, for supporting these ideas, the questions and the propositions were composed for the survey related to ecovillages by utilizing these ecosocialist criteria. Finally, the survey is filled out by respondents who live in ecovillages in Germany. I mean, knowledge about ecovilages below are results of this process. Ecosocialist criteria can be catched sight easily due to that they were written as bold.

The production which meets the needs of ecovillage is planned and produced collectively. The plans are prepared by all members of the ecovillage. The opinions of members are always taken be into account. In addition, decision making processes in an ecovillage is ensured with the principles of participatory democracy. The most effective decision making method is consensus due to that every member is included. Familiafeliz ecovillage and Kommune Niederkaufungen are good examples for this.[1] Community life is based on decisions by consensus, and veto for each. However, larger ecovillges prefer mixed decision making system.Some decisions are approved by a majority, some of decisions are made by consensus or a spesific group can be responsible for a certain case. An example of this point by Sieben Linden Ecovillage:

“We make decisions with the desire to hear as many needs as possible and to bring them together and on the same time to stay capable of acting.Five elected counsels and many working groups are trusted by the community to decide in the spirit of the whole about issues like building, social affairs, finances, administration, educational work or food. At our monthly General Assembly questions are discussed, that concern everyone. Decisions are made with 2/3 majority with possibility for veto.”[2]

The commodifications in the ecovillage are valued according to their usage(their respond to needs, use value), not to their prices(not exchange value). The distribution of products is realized according to needs of the society of the ecovillage, not via prices and market. Schloss Tanndorf Ecovillage illustrates this point clearly. Food and household goods are collectively provided for everyone from the communal storage spaces in this ecovillage. They are strongly sure that everyone gets as needed. It is a good example of trusting each other in an ecovillage.

Ecovillage members have ideas about production stages and the final product which they produce. Unlike capitalist-modern life, alienation is almost impossible to find in an ecovillage. They do not alienate themselves and their jobs, cause the work does not divide of the many disunited pieces. They do not alienate nature owing to their livings in harmony with nature, and they do not alienate each other as a result of solidarity in ecovillages. There is an important example about working in the ecovillage where I visited. Schloss Tanndorf Ecovillage strives for the creation of family-based jobs. So why is this important this much? Cause, this situation provides an insight for children into the working world, and in this way jobs become visible and comprehensible.[3] Alienation may no longer available in this way.

In the ecovillage, not industrial agriculture methods but traditional or ecological methods are used. Almost all of ecovillage members share same idea about this hypothesis, they never use pesticide or chemical fertilizer. They always try to find the best solution for efficiency of soil. For this reason, permaculture is taken account as an agriculture method, and it is generally used compost method for suppliying fertilizer to soil. The compost method provides both evaluating waste(organic kitchen waste and toilet waste) in a sustainable way and fostering soil. Compost toilet is used in almost all ecovilllages, and it is like a symbol of ecological life. On the other hand, some ecovillages do not let to use tractor due to using petrol, but some of them use tractor for the reason that they are not numbers enough as farmers.

Solidarity in ecovillage is at a high level. As an example, some ecovillages prefer to live as one big family, and have a lot of common activity, but some of these prefer a more individual life.[4]Nevertheless, we can say that these communities try to find a balance between these two lifestyle. In addition, all of these desire good neighbourhood relations. There is generally no racism and no sexism in an ecovillage. Cause these communities respect to the others, and try to develop some models to avoid these kind of tendencies. On the other side, ecovillages do not allow humiliation or othering related to gender, race, species or religion because of the ethic of embrace differences that those have. Members of ecovillages generally have common purpose and value. Moreover, they focus on several activity(like meditation or public talk) to keep this situation. For example; ZEGG has an efficient method that mentioned in the previous sections. It calls “Forum”. Forum supplies an empathic social environment and based on following principle: “Nothing original inside of me is bad or wrong.”[5] Another example of what is meant by Kommune Niederkaufungen. Members of the ecovillage work for reduction of patriarchal structures. Besides, they are aware of the effect of language on behaviors. For this reason, they try to avoid misogynistic language, and never tolerate discrimination, sexual harassment and physical violence in the community.[6]

Private ownership is limited, collective ownership is essential under ecosocialism. Ecovillages are based on shared economies and living together. However, some ecovillages have a common property regime. Their incomes go into a common pool, and the needs of community are met in this way. Kommune Niederkaufungen is a good example for this. They defines themselves as “Germany’s largest secular income-sharing commune”.[7]The others have just a number of common object like electricity producing, communal heating or the repair of houses. Basically, it can be said that the extent of common property depends on their tendencies to communicate with each other.

Means of production are open for common usage. Schloss Tanndorf Ecovillage shows this point clearly. There are rooms for communal cooking, consulting, music and meditation, shared library, and children's games in there. They share washing machines, kitchen, other household appliances, machinery for the woodworking and metalworking.[8] They both reduce their energy need and develop cooperation in this way. On the other hand, it should be said that everybody has equal opportunities related to common usage in ecovillage. The results of survey is in confirmation of this proposition. This situation seriously differentiates life in an ecovillage from capitalist economical system. However, we cannot say that there is no significant inequality of income and no hierarchy between the members of ecovillage. Cause some of members still work outside(out of the ecovillage). Monetary relations outside is moved inside(into ecovillage) in this way. Put another way, by utilizing notes that was added to surveys by respondents, it can be mentioned that there is a hierarchy based on experience.

Every member who is capable must work for the community. I guess that this proposition was perceived as a coercion by respondents. For this reason, they declared not to agree with the proposition. However, the person who live in a community desire to contribute to them. A respondent has added notes to the the his survey related to this propositions: “Everybody decides how and what to work in the commune.” That is exactly what I try to say. On the other side, the people who have same the job in the ecovillage earn the same money (or the same reward). Cause, the jobs are for serving to the society of ecovillage in contrast to monetary relations under capitalism, there is no competition in the capitalist sense. Sieben Linden Ecovillage shows this point clearly:

“Many works for the construction and development of the ecovillage are done voluntarily – this is the fundament of the community project. We have regular cleaning duties (app. 1h per week) and work in different working groups and committees (app. 5h per week). In modern society appreciation is highly associated with money. In Sieben Linden this is partly the same, partly not. Voluntary work needs appreciation by personal gratitude.”[9]

Main purpose of technology usage is to decrease working hours, not to produce more than needed. Ecovillage members prefer free time than having more goods. Nearly all of the respondents (90.1%) agreed this point. However, they have to work more hours on establishment stage of ecovillage because of lack of the number of members. If common values and common goals are internalized, this situation is acceptable for a establishment stage, but if not, ecovillage project will fail. When people who live in an ecovillage begin to proliferate, everyone will work fewer hours, and they have more free time for their cultural and creative events.

Consumption is tried to limit on a voluntary basis, and it is not seen over production in the capitalist sense. I mean, by moving notes which was added to surveys by respondents, it can be said that more production is preferable to sell portion of surplus. They can buy other needs of community in this way. In a similar way, ecovillage members do not think positively about over consuming(buying false needs which are created by advertisements). All of them(100%) who were surveyed indicated this point.

Nature is more than an input for production under ecosocialism, and this is also true for an ecovillages. In accordance with this affair, energy need of ecovillage is provided from renewable energy resources in a sustainable way in an ecovillage. To exemplify, ZEGG Ecovillage produce ourselves about 90% of their electricity in 450 m2 photo-voltaic cells and the co-generation plants.[10] In addition, it is also important to build houses in harmony with nature. Sieben Linden Ecovillage was a pioneer of change with ecological houses(generally straw houses) which it has. It collaborated with University of Kassel about carbon dioxide emissions, and Sieben Linden has extremely low carbon dioxide emissions according to the average Germany.[11]

Ecovillages call attention to climate changes. By way of illustration, ecosocialism is required to change the transportation system due to that it uses fossil fuel much. It offers bikes and more train instead of private cars. In this context, since ecovillages are generally located far from schools, working places and other services, they generally use public transport or car pooling(shared vehicles)[12]. Energy consumed is reduced in this way. On the other hand, they prefer non-motorised vehicles for short distance, like bike, horses for small ecological footprints. For instance, in Sieben Linden Ecovillage, there are no cars in the village. The ecovillage gives particular importance to reducing ecological footprints.

Ecovillage members generally think that current economic system (capitalism) is harmful to the nature and so it cannot be capable for overcoming environmental problems. According to the survey results, 90.1 % of those who were surveyed indicated to agree to this idea. One of the reasons to move to live in an ecovillage is generally a protest against the system's destruction. For this reason, they devote themselves to repair nature as much as possible. Cause ecovillage folk as an intentional community is aware of a whole that is consisted of people and nature.

The people who live in an ecovillage share a common dream that is living in a more equal, more sustainable and fairer civilization. This can be illustrated briefly by ZEGG Ecovillage:

“We start where we are and shape a sustainable social and ecological habitat. We are telling new stories about love, human cohabitation and living with nature.”

In my view, the phrase of“telling new stories” points to a comparison between capitalism and another system, and also points to a better life. On the other hand, according to the result of surveys, people live in an ecovillage because of that they imagine a better world.

The research began with a wonder about ecovillages: Can these communities be affinity groups on the way to Ecosocialism? It was tried to explain ecosocialist potential of ecovillages with examination of the the related literature and usage of results of survey. At the end of the study, it was understood that the wonder of the beginning of the research was a justified wonder.

References:

[1] Further information is available at: http://www.familiafeliz.eu/ [2] Sieben Linden Ecovillage, [online] Available at:<http://www.siebenlinden.de/index.php?id=53&L=2 > [Accessed 10 June 2016]. [3] Schloss Tanndorf Ecovillage, [online] Available at:<http://www.schloss-tonndorf.de/die-gemeinschaft.htm>[Accessed 10 June 2016]. [4] Vidickiene, D.(ed.), 2013, Living in Harmony: Inspiring Stories from Ecovillages, Lithuania, BMK Leidykla Published, p.13. [5] Vidickiene, D.(ed.), 2013, p.56 [6] Kommune Niederkaufungen, [online] Available at:<http://www.kommune-niederkaufungen.de/uber-uns/grundsatze/abbau-geschlechtsspezifischer-machtstrukturen/> [Accessed 10 June 2016]. [7] Kommune Niederkaufungen, Felllowship for Intentional Community, [online] Available at:<http://www.ic.org/directory/kommune-niederkaufungen/>[Accessed 10 June 2016]. [8] Schloss Tanndorf Ecovillage, [online] Available at:<http://www.schloss-tonndorf.de/das-projekt/schritt-fuer-schritt.html>[Accessed 10 June 2016]. [9] Sieben Linden Ecovillage, [online] Available at:<http://www.siebenlinden.de/index.php?id=55&L=2 > [Accessed 10 June 2016]. [10] Vidickiene, D.(ed.), 2013, p.63 [11] Dawson, J., 2006, p.40. [12] Palojarvi, A., Pyysiainen, J. and Saloranta, M.(ed.), 2013, Inspiring Stories from Ecovillages:Experiences with Ecological Technologies and Prectices, BMK Leidykla Published, p.103