Medicine, Infrastructure, Defense And Anarcho-Communism

[evangelista]

If anarcho-communism became a reality, how would issues of medicine (healthcare), infrastructure and defense be handled?

[syndicat]

Many libertarian communists would say there would still be a government...it just wouldn't be a state. That is, there would be some sort of federation throughout the revolutionary area, created by the working class & oppressed, and this would govern the region. There would be a people's militia controlled by this federation to defend it. The federation would make decisions through congresses of delegates who would be elected from base assemblies, in workplaces, neighborhoods, rural villages. There would also be elected coordinating councils at local and regional level, of the federation, and its various industrial and local components.

A role of the assemblies in a local area would be as a venue for people to debate, develop and put forward proposals in regard to the public goods and services they want provided, and their delegates would then carry these to the regional congresses. Public goods and services would include various things provided to people through social provision (that is, free), such as health care, education throughout life, child care, housing construction, construction and maintenance/operation of local transit systems, and development of (social investment in) infrastructure such as public utility systems.

The system of popular power would have powers of governance...making and enforcing the basic rules for society...but wouldn't be a state because it would not be a hierarchical apparatus separated from direct popular control, as are present states.

The exact way that investment would be allocated for infrastructure and services depends on what particular libertarian socialist or libertarian communist conception you consider. There are a number of different views on a variety of subjects.

[The Ungovernable Farce]

It's also worth noting that no-one believes in "anarchist-communism in one country". For it to exist for any real period of time, you'd need an international revolution, so "defence" wouldn't be as much of an issue - in the short time, the best form of defence would be relying on uprisings in the armed forces of neighbouring countries, in the long term states would be abolished and so there'd be no more competition between them.

[Comrade Anarchist]

Each commune would have all proper medical care for its citizens and they would all be connected through a federation so ideas and new technology can be supplied. Just because there is no government does not mean that all the workers will disappear b/c every man is a worker and will help build and repair their infrastructure. Well defense will not be needed unless maybe a lenin or other type of fascist rises out of the revolution where in there will be war between fascists and anarchists, where in the anarchists will join and fight.