monialism

Monialism is a term that appears only sporadically in scholarly discourse and literature, and there is no universally accepted definition. In some discussions, monialism describes a social or economic arrangement built around small, autonomous units—often called monials—that coordinate through mutual obligations and reciprocal exchanges rather than through centralized institutions. Proponents may envision monials as cooperatives or communes that share resources, labor, and decision making in a networked but non-hierarchical system. In other uses, monialism refers to a philosophical stance that places value on singular commitments or vows, such as binding agreements among members of a communal or religious-ethical order. In speculative fiction and fringe sociology, monialism is sometimes portrayed as an alternative to state-centric or market-centric models of governance and economy.

Because the term is not standardized, its attributes vary with author and context. Commonly cited features include voluntarist participation, mutual aid, resource pooling, and non-ownership-based coordination, though none of these are universally required. Scholars emphasize the need for precise definitions and empirical evidence when using monialism to describe real-world arrangements. In criticism, the term is often regarded as vague or speculative.

Related concepts include mutual aid, voluntarism, communalism, and non-market forms of organization.