ABSTRACT
This chapter discusses the changes in the style of kibbutz politics, the necessary conditions for direct democracy, leadership and differentiation between political role takers, and the patterns of public participation in kibbutz institutions. It also discusses the interdependence of democracy and culture, the cultural life of the community, the sense of political participation felt by members, and the political-cultural problem of Kibbutz Vatik. The kibbutz is not mainly competitive; the society is primarily a fellowship-oriented society and all groups overlap significantly. The political reality of the kibbutz raises the question of democracy's relationship to culture. While direct democracy has changed perceptibly in the kibbutz organization, it is still a reality. Menachem Rosner's research analyzes the five conditions for direct democracy in the kibbutz: small-scale organization, awareness of members, nonformalized public opinion, reserve of potential cadres, and equality in living conditions.
