Durable Communities in the context of this workbook are communities capable of dependably fulfilling the needs of their members for generations. These communities embody the principles described in this workbook, focusing on mutual aid, shared resources, and long-term stability while prioritizing relationships and collective wellbeing over short-term gains.
Such structures foster trust, cooperation, and resilience through stability and strong collaboration over time. Central to this approach is "7 Generation" thinking—the principle that actions taken by an individual or group should consider their effects seven generations into the future. Building and maintaining infrastructures that provide abundant access to resources for generations to come is a fundamental design goal when organizing new communities and resources.
The design principles described in this workbook are employed in many existing communities around the world, including housing commons, makerspaces, and various other commons-based organizations. By fostering collective decision-making, shared responsibility, and mutual support, they create environments where members can thrive together across generations.
The durability of an organization is determined by its ability to maintain stability, resilience, and community over time. Employing design features that promote shared responsibility, collective decision-making, and mutual trust and accountability between members contributes to an organization's durability. We can see a breakdown of each of these design principles in section 2, section 4 and section 6 respectively.
Commons, if designed well, and governed well, are a much more stable structure than cooperative private ownership. In the first generation, both a commons and a cooperatively owned business have similar benefits and stability to the members. The generational turnover is very different. A commons will use the decision making process established to accept new members when a previous member leaves or passes away. Allowing the commons to decide who ought to be included in future operation, stabilizes the organization.
