61 lines
2.3 KiB
Markdown
61 lines
2.3 KiB
Markdown
**Marinaleda** is a small town in Seville,
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[Spain](Kingdom_of_Spain "wikilink") which has been described by its
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mayor and journalists as a '[communist
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utopia](List_of_Libertarian_Socialist_Societies "wikilink")'.
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## Decision-Making
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The town follows the standard [liberal](Liberalism "wikilink") model of
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a [representative democracy](Representative_Democracy "wikilink"), but
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despite the eccentric communist mayor. It is more likely that the towns
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unique policies are due to the constant hunger strikes, occupations of
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government buildings and hostility towards traditional spanish politics
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means that it is more the autonomous power of the working class and the
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states desire to not deal with an insurrection that is the reason for
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the towns ability to experiment.
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## Crime
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Marinaleda has been called a "utopia for peace", which has no municipal
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police (saving $350,000 a year).\[1\]
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## Economics
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The town has maintained full employment (in a country of high
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unemployment) by creating [worker
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cooperatives](Worker_Cooperatives "wikilink") in the industries of
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farming (producing wheat, artichokes, lettuce, tomato, peppers, broccoli
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and beans) as well as [self-managed
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factories](Workers'_Self-Management "wikilink") which produce canned
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goods.\[2\]
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Housing costs are extremely low in Marinaleda, as you can own a house
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for 15 euros a month. Land is owned [commonly](Commons "wikilink") and
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neighbours and builders help out new homeowners in the spirit of [mutual
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aid](Mutual_Aid "wikilink"). Each house has three bedrooms, one bathroom
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and a large garden.\[3\]
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Since the transition towards a cooperative economy, the town has built a
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[school](Education "wikilink"), a TV station, a radio station, parks,
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childcare centers, aged care homes, doctors offices and a swimming
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pool.\[4\]
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## Culture
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Additionally, political murals and revolutionary slogans adorn the
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town's whitewashed walls and streets are named after Latin American
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leftists (like Che Guevara). Every few weeks, the town hall declares a
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Red Sunday over a bullhorn and volunteers clean the streets or do odd
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jobs\[5\]
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## References
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<references />
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1. [Wikipedia](Wikipedia "wikilink") -
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<https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Marinaleda#Local_government>
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2. [Wikipedia](Wikipedia "wikilink") (Spanish) -
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<https://es.wikipedia.org/wiki/Marinaleda>
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3.
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4.
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5. |