This research on community is a sort of movement and concrete practices which helps solve the modern problems, specifically aimed to study maintenance and limit of community, through both theoretical investigation and actual probe into communities. The subjects of this research are Byun-san Community and Yamagish Community in Korea. These two communities are what are called Alternative Community, which pursues self-sufficiency and full-time life with new ideas and goals.
The followings are the characteristics revealed after surveying how these two alternative communities are maintained.
Firstly, these two alternative communities pursue their ideas and goals respectively. Byun-san Community sets its goals by restoring life of traditional korean agrarian society, and Yamagish Community in Korea works to realize community based on Whole- Body society(一體社會).
Secondly, how are these two alternative communities maintained on economic aspect? Byun-san Community focuses on organic farming while Yamagish Community in Korea is in pursuit of poultry farming.
Thirdly, how is decision made in these two alternative communities? It is characterized by inclusive participation and decision-making in a democratic way.
In the fourth place, how are these communities organized? Byun-san Community is managed according to respective situations while the organization of Yamagish Community in Korea is divided into production division and life-related division featuring in their specialization.
In the fifth place, how can a person join the community? Byun-san Community doesn't require special qualifications while a person can join Yamagish Community in Korea by participating in their special lecture(特別講習硏鑽會).
In the sixth place, how large space do these communities have? They secure spaces for basic conditions of life such as communal dining and housing.
The followings are the characteristics revealed after surveying what daily life in these communities is like.
In the first place, the daily routine of Byun-san Community changes according to the agricultural off-season and farming season, while that of Yamagish Community in Korea has few changes because of their poultry farming.
In the second place, their communal dinning doesn't simply mean eating together, but contributes to fellowship and integration.
In the third place, the life in Byun-san Community pertaining to clothing depends on individuals, but in Yamagish Community in Korea, there are personnel in charge of clothing-related business. All clothes are owned and administered publicly. Only the simple and frugal rituals are allowed in these communities. Although it is obvious that leisure and labor have separate meaning in capitalism, labor accompanied by leisure is often found in these communities.
The followings are the limits found in these communities.
First, it is true that these communities establish joint ownership as their standard principle, but members find it difficult to renounce habits of private property rights to which they were used. Conflicts as such are found in these communities.
Second, human relations are the most difficult part when living in human society of any form. The members of these communities also count them as the most difficult one. Individual efforts to solve such problems are indispensible in order to keep living in these kinds of communities.
Third, when living in this kind of community, one has to live together with other members all day long. As a result, one's daily life is exposed to other members. Limit of community is determined by how much a community can secure members' privacy.
The followings are the prospects of alternative community based on this research.
First, paradoxy caused by pariah capitalism trigger engagement into new way of living.
Second, alternative community provides epistemological and practical change.
Third, these communities also provides both brotherhood and meaning of unalienated labor, playing a part of comprehensive field of life.
Fourth, these communities expands communal life. Even if one is engaged in a community, one pursues communal life on his or her own way.
Fifth, the future of alternative community is hopeful. It provides comprehensive opportunities to those who struggles to prepare alternative way of living for the generation to come.
The followings are the hints anticipated through this research.
First, These two communities show us a possibility that alternative community with various ideas and goals can emerge from Korea.
Second, the pursuit of self-sufficiency determines boundary and character of a community. Self-sufficiency should be regarded as necessary while managing an alternative community.
Third, alternative community is no longer a place where one can escape from reality, but a place which requires active engagement toward communal life.
Fourth, The harmony between human beings and nature is the indispensible element which should be found in community to come. An alternative community is sort of developing process and practical movement. It has a great meaning as an alternative for our age by providing various ways of living and communal life.