Workers will get most joy and satisfaction from their labour, when they themselves can decide
when and how they work. The more we have the freedom to shape our labours, the more pleasant it
can become. When we make our own decisions, instead of just carrying out someone else‘s, we must
also be prepared to take the responsibility that comes along with it.
This is both the strength and the basic rule/principle of our village: everybody is involved.
To us democracy means: each of us making all the decisions that are relevant to our part of the
job/or the living in our village. We are not going to have endless discussions, but put the
responsibility of each small part on those involved in that part; these persons will also refine
it and carry it out.
Let's start small...
A children‘s playground should be at a stone‘s throw from the homes. An inner court would be fine. The parents of the children can decide together what the playground must look like and what appliances must be put in it. In this way every group of users has a say in their own workshop, studio, school, etc.
Once or twice a year we will have a large meeting to discuss the development of the various
projects and to set priorities for the future. We think that should be enough for the group as a
whole.
Smaller projects wil need smaller meetings on a more regular basis. People only need to discuss,
evaluate and plan the projects they are responsible for.
The village will need a number of support services. An example would be an administrative office for bookkeeping and other paperwork. This service will not have a decisive input into the small business that it supports. It can only advise.
For our energy supplies we will just need a public utility like we used to have - which means they supply energy, safely and reliably, without making a profit. That is all we want. Making a profit is something that has been undermining modern society. A public utility should supply a safe and reliable product, nothing more and nothing less.
It is important to install an entertainment committee. Parties or festivals will be organized on a regular basis. A village is made up by people who share festive moments.
We can organize a harvest feast because we are thankful for the harvest. But just as well we can have a festive gathering because our supplies are coming to an end and we are facing a period of relative shortage. In many regions people celebrate Carnival, just to pretend they have more than enough, which is followed by a frugal period.
When the structures of the village are set up in such a way that you yourself, together with the others in your project, are responsible for faults and failures, people will need to learn a new way of dealing with them/these failures. One cannot blame others nor abdicate the responsibility of what happened any more. You see, there is no "boss"" who is responsible. We are responsible together, each person or group for their own little project.
We hope that by working and living in our village, people will find out that they are more capable in being and doing than they had imagined. This way one grows closer to one another, but also to oneself.