The Village That Challenges the World

Point on the globe at 37° 22' 16¨ North, 4° 57' 29¨ West: Marinaleda. Reminiscent of Asterix's village, this Andalusian village challenges the world we know: People here work not for profit, but to live a humane life.

In Marinaleda, decisions regarding the village are made in general meetings open to everyone. Farms and production facilities are jointly owned. Instead of struggling with a housing loan for life, people learn to build a house for themselves with the materials provided by the cooperative and with the help of friends, and they have the opportunity to live for a very small amount. They work for free one day a month to develop the village, and they do not need to have a police force in their village. So, although it is a tiny dot on the world, Marinaleda is much more than a village: it is a political example, a concrete example that another world is possible. It is living proof that we can refute the claim that there is no alternative to liberal practices that encourage unabashed individualism and the privatization and plunder of common resources. Undoubtedly, Marinaleda did not come to this point in a day: There is a long history of struggle, including land occupations, hunger strikes, "expropriation" and protests, that you will read in this book.

Albert Camus once said of Spain, "The homeland of the rebellious man, where the greatest masterpieces are cries against the impossible." With its rebellion against injustice and inequality, Marinaleda is exactly the kind of masterpiece that Camus mentioned: An ongoing utopia on the path to peace.
(From the Promotional Bulletin)



Number of Pages: 224

Year of Printing: 2016


Language: Turkish
Publisher: Metis Publishing

Prepared by: Özge Çelik

First Print Year: 2016

Number of Pages: 224

Language Turkish