communalist

A communalist is a supporter or advocate of communalism, a political philosophy that emphasizes organizing society around locally based, self-governing communities or communes. In contemporary usage, the term is most closely associated with Murray Bookchin’s theory of Communalism, which envisions municipalities as the primary political units and as federations of communes that collectively manage resources and decision-making.

Core ideas of communalism include decentralization, direct democracy, and libertarian municipalism. It seeks to replace centralized state authority with a network of self-governing municipalities that coordinate through confederal ties. Decision-making is typically organized around participatory assemblies at the neighborhood and municipal levels, with elected delegates who remain accountable to those they represent. Economically, communalism favors cooperative or socially owned enterprises and emphasizes ecological stewardship, social equality, and non-hierarchical institutions within a democratic, decentralized framework.

Historically, communalism draws on libertarian socialist and anarchist traditions and was developed and popularized by Bookchin in the late 20th century. It has influenced debates about alternative governance and has been linked to movements and experiments that emphasize local democracy and ecological sustainability. Proponents sometimes point to the Kurdish Democratic Confederalism associated with Abdullah Öcalan as an example of ideas aligned with communalist principles, though they arise in a distinct political context.

Critics argue that achieving and sustaining large-scale coordination across diverse communities can be challenging, and that excessive emphasis on local autonomy might hinder addressing broader economic, environmental, or security issues. Supporters contend that participatory democracy and confederal federation can offer more democratic legitimacy and ecological resilience than centralized models.