ABSTRACT
A shadow hangs over the history of the communes in the United States—that of scores of communes which broke up while still in their early stage. The short-lived communes lacked other elementary ingredients for consolidation and progress, and under these circumstances their breakup was indeed inevitable. The large majority of these communes had been formed in haste, with no suitable ideological preparation, and without proper training in communal living given to their members who had come from diverse backgrounds and different geographical regions. The long-lived communes were unable to find an effective way to put a barrier between them and the alien environment. The development of this line of enquiry may well provide theoretical tools to support the approach people have indicated regarding open options, for survival or breakup, in a set of changing conditions. The areas of breakup are not unique to the social dynamics operating in communes.
