Venezuela: Activists, gov't push for 'communal state'
Venezuela: Activists, gov't push for 'communal state'
Sunday, June 1, 2014
By Ewan Robertson, Merida
The Venezuelan government and the commune movement are taking steps to move towards the creation of what is referred to as a communal state, which involves community groups assuming collective control of local production and decision making.
Communes in Venezuela are formed out of groups of community councils, which are small neighbourhood groups representing 250 to 400 families. In communal councils, local residents organise to develop their local community and run community affairs. They can also receive public funds to undertake social projects in their area.
Communes are created when an election of local residents is held to select spokespeople from each community council to form a communal parliament. These have different subcommittees and cover community affairs over a larger territorial zone.
The commune can then take on larger tasks and responsibilities than individual community councils. They can also register with the Ministry of Communes, which makes them eligible to apply for public funding for productive, educational, cultural, infrastructure or other development projects.
There are now about 40,000 communal councils and 600 communes registered in the country, with more communes in the process of formation.
More:
https://www.greenleft.org.au/node/56598