Cooperative Town Project:
1994 to 1996
"Cooperative Town" was the name of a two year program designed and supported by the members of Los Horcones. It offered social help to low income or no-income families (unemployed, homeless). We housed them, fed them and educated them and their children. Men and women helped in community work. They received a small monetary compensation for personal expenses.
More than 30 families joined at different times staying for a few months and often, coming back. They kept most of their practices, like nuclear family and private property. However they all ate together with us in the communal dinning room, participated in communal child care during the day and cultural and recreational activities. We wanted them to see how by cooperating with each other they could improve the quality of their lives. After some time they felt and looked healthier, cleaner, better dressed and most importantly, happier. Their family relationships which often were abusive, became more peaceful and satisfactory.
Women were especially happy because of the communal child care. They had time for themselves. They could be with their husbands more often. Their husbands were in a better mood because they did not have economic pressure and they were sober.
People who came usually arrived with no skills other than shoveling or carrying heavy loads on their backs. They were able to learn various skills here. Some of them were in so much need that a lot of money was spent in feeding them and time in teaching them before they could really help in the community.
After the first year many of them have left for various reasons, mainly the father was alcoholic and did not like not being able to drink every day although they usually spent the weekends in the city.
Greed and gossip were high among them and were causing many interpersonal problems. They were use to moving from one work place to another, making it easy for them to suddenly decide to leave.
It was clear a more intensive educational program was necessary to solve and prevent many of their problems. However, our resources (human, money, time, education) were gradually reduced until we had to close the program. Many families were temporarily aided, enough to enable them to continue their quest. Their ambitions were individualistic, not social. However there were many significant changes in their behavior. They learned to apply behavioral principles in their daily life. Mothers learned to care for their children both physically and behaviorally.
None of them stayed.
More time and human resources were necessary to apply the educational technology that could help them see the common good as their own good.
We are now writing a book about this social experiment.
Last up-dated : 2001
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