ComunasComunas

A Presentation by:A Presentation by:

Will Sefcik, Sika Abbey, Yanira Lopez, Annie Goodrich, Maria E. Will Sefcik, Sika Abbey, Yanira Lopez, Annie Goodrich, Maria E. Zavala Zavala

What Is A Comuna?What Is A Comuna?

•A system in which a country or smaller divisions of a country are separated •Very similar to feudalism from the Middle Ages•A part of European society as well•Can be associated with socialism

http://favelaissues.files.wordpress.com/2010/01/comunas-medellin.jpg?w=300&h=210

• Comunas can Comunas can fulfill a fulfill a specific specific purpose for purpose for societysociety

• Men and Men and women fulfill women fulfill different roles different roles

• May be May be governed by governed by a municipal a municipal councilcouncil

http://breakingroutine.files.wordpress.com/2012/09/60-medellin-010-20120904-view-of-medellins-479&h=318

Around the WorldAround the World

• Comunas Comunas can be found can be found around the around the worldworld

• FranceFrance

• Russia Russia (Socialism)(Socialism)

http://www.aporrea.org/imagenes/2009/05/la_comuna.jpg

ArgentinaArgentina

• The city of Buenos Aires is divided into 48 The city of Buenos Aires is divided into 48 barrios (neighborhoods or districts) for barrios (neighborhoods or districts) for administrative purposes. The decision was administrative purposes. The decision was originally based on the catholic parroquias originally based on the catholic parroquias (parishes), but has undergone a series of (parishes), but has undergone a series of changes in the 40’s. A newer scheme has changes in the 40’s. A newer scheme has divided the city into 15 comunas divided the city into 15 comunas (communes).(communes).

• These comunas allows citizens to practice These comunas allows citizens to practice their citizenship by allowing them to play a their citizenship by allowing them to play a role in the decisions made by the governmentrole in the decisions made by the government

• In 1994 the city of Buenos Aires In 1994 the city of Buenos Aires amended its constitution becoming amended its constitution becoming autonomous from the rest of the country autonomous from the rest of the country to manage itself through its local to manage itself through its local government.government.

• October 2001 they begin to implement October 2001 they begin to implement comunas in Buenos Airescomunas in Buenos Aires

• Every Comunas had 7 members, who Every Comunas had 7 members, who were elected by each district as were elected by each district as representatives of their own comunas .representatives of their own comunas .

• September 2005, the  1777 organic act September 2005, the  1777 organic act of 2005 enacted comunas to be fully of 2005 enacted comunas to be fully transitioned by the end of the year 2006.transitioned by the end of the year 2006.

Goals of the Organic Act of 2005:         Goals of the Organic Act of 2005:        

• Decentralizing the government         Decentralizing the government        

• Ensuring sustainable development        Ensuring sustainable development        

• Equality and Redistribution         Equality and Redistribution        

• Restoring cultural identity of the city        Restoring cultural identity of the city        

• Improving efficiency of the governmentImproving efficiency of the government

• Promoting direct democracy within the Buenos Promoting direct democracy within the Buenos Aires       Aires       

• Facilitating citizen participationFacilitating citizen participation

http://www.google.com/imgres?q=Argentina+comuna&um

VenezuelaVenezuela

• April 2006April 2006 Under Chavez, the Under Chavez, the Venezuelan government passed Venezuelan government passed the Law of the Communal the Law of the Communal Councils, which allows local Councils, which allows local citizens to form neighborhood citizens to form neighborhood councils with the purpose of councils with the purpose of overseeing local politicsoverseeing local politics

• The number of registered The number of registered comunas (different from comunas (different from Communal Councils) in 2009 Communal Councils) in 2009 was about 20,000 was about 20,000

• State funds are used to finance State funds are used to finance social projects within the social projects within the communitycommunity

• Budget as of 2007Budget as of 2007 5 billion 5 billion USD as well as 50 percent of all USD as well as 50 percent of all Venezuelan petroleum revenue, Venezuelan petroleum revenue, with each council allotted with each council allotted between 14,000 – 28,000 USD between 14,000 – 28,000 USD per project.per project.

• The goal is to achieve a higher The goal is to achieve a higher level of participatory level of participatory democracy democracy

• The jurisdiction of each The jurisdiction of each Communal Council range from Communal Council range from 200-400 families and is based 200-400 families and is based on the territory in which people on the territory in which people livelive

COMUNASCOMUNAS

• Each Each ComunaComuna focuses on focuses on a different activity a different activity

• Organized approved by the Organized approved by the central governmentcentral government

• Members of the comunas Members of the comunas solve their own problems with solve their own problems with the help of the government the help of the government • Traditional local Traditional local

governments bypassedgovernments bypassed• Primate entities generally Primate entities generally

excluded Some comunas are excluded Some comunas are more politically complex more politically complex than othersthan others

• More Comunas have been More Comunas have been approved for rural areas of approved for rural areas of VenezuelaVenezuela

Gender & Control Gender & Control

• Most who participate in the comunas - at the Most who participate in the comunas - at the grassroots level - are woman grassroots level - are woman

• Men fill the positions that require more Men fill the positions that require more responsibility responsibility

What projects have the consejos Comunales What projects have the consejos Comunales Launched in Venezuela?Launched in Venezuela?

What are they, what are they used for, how What are they, what are they used for, how many?many?

Infocentro:Infocentro: Initiative in favor of technological literacy; is a site Initiative in favor of technological literacy; is a site that makes that makes information and communication technologies (TIC), primarily information and communication technologies (TIC), primarily

internet connected computer terminals. internet connected computer terminals.

Managed by Communal CouncilsManaged by Communal CouncilsProvide access to low-income sectors, at no costs.Provide access to low-income sectors, at no costs.Access to internet through the Simón Bolívar satellite Access to internet through the Simón Bolívar satellite There are 866 in all over the country There are 866 in all over the country Through alliances with businesses and government funds Through alliances with businesses and government funds

Relationship between a Comuna and an Relationship between a Comuna and an InfocentroInfocentro

Infocentros as a source of power

-Infocentros shape the use of power by strengthening relationships and values that support the new model socialist country.

-Strengthen people's power, and thereby achieve the inclusion of large sections of the population in the use of information and communication technologies, their appropriation and use by communities and social networks that respond to local needs, regional and national forming cooperative social networks, information and knowledge.

-The explosion of communal power infocentros serve as a unifying core for community activities.

Revolución BolivarianaRevolución Bolivariana

Open software is used by the communal councils

In 2011, government claims that 1.25 million people became literate by using informational technology

Possible exaggeration??

“a community servant, committed to the revolutionary process and their community” whose “fundamental role is to guarantee that the commune can make effective use of the socio-technological space”.

Power and benefits of Infocentros Power and benefits of Infocentros

Overcoming the digital division by Overcoming the digital division by outlining actions to contribute to outlining actions to contribute to decrease the digital gap b/t the poor decrease the digital gap b/t the poor and the richand the rich

Social service allocation to the Social service allocation to the comunas as a strong popular base to comunas as a strong popular base to help reduce the reliance on private help reduce the reliance on private media outletsmedia outlets- Small financial elites gatekeepers Small financial elites gatekeepers

of media informationof media information- i.e., 2002 Coup d’ Etat lack of i.e., 2002 Coup d’ Etat lack of

broadcastbroadcast

Key connectors between the Key connectors between the barrios/comunas and the peoplebarrios/comunas and the people

Produce a more participatory Produce a more participatory democracydemocracy

Internet freedom in order to overcome Internet freedom in order to overcome efforts by dictatorships to control efforts by dictatorships to control information and accelerate “political, information and accelerate “political, social and economic change. social and economic change.

Increase the flow of informationIncrease the flow of information

Interconnects comunas with technology Interconnects comunas with technology to impede limitations to higher access to to impede limitations to higher access to educationeducation

Helps generate Helps generate social inclusionsocial inclusion, , through Information Science and through Information Science and Technology (ICT)Technology (ICT)

Citizens are active participants in the Citizens are active participants in the process of social transformationprocess of social transformation

Generate alternatives of expression Generate alternatives of expression and citizen participation andand citizen participation andbetter opportunities in the workplacebetter opportunities in the workplace

Internet as a mobilization tool for Internet as a mobilization tool for strengthening Socialismstrengthening Socialism

Increase the flow of informationIncrease the flow of information

Interconnects comunas with technology Interconnects comunas with technology to impede limitations to higher access to to impede limitations to higher access to educationeducation

Helps generate Helps generate social inclusionsocial inclusion, , through Information Science and through Information Science and Technology (ICT)Technology (ICT)

Citizens are active participants in the Citizens are active participants in the process of social transformationprocess of social transformation

Generate alternatives of expression Generate alternatives of expression and citizen participation andand citizen participation andbetter opportunities in the workplacebetter opportunities in the workplace

Internet as a mobilization tool for Internet as a mobilization tool for strengthening Socialismstrengthening Socialism

Works CitedWorks Cited

• Jimenez, Antenea, Jeffery R. Webber, and Susan Spronk. "Building Socialism from Below: The Jimenez, Antenea, Jeffery R. Webber, and Susan Spronk. "Building Socialism from Below: The Role of the Communes in Venezuela." Role of the Communes in Venezuela." Venezuela News, Views, and AnalysisVenezuela News, Views, and Analysis. N.p., 14 June 2010. . N.p., 14 June 2010. Web. 11 Nov. 2012.Web. 11 Nov. 2012.

• LeGrand, Geoff. "Venezuela’s Communes: Not as Radical as You Might Think." LeGrand, Geoff. "Venezuela’s Communes: Not as Radical as You Might Think." Council on Council on Hemispheric AffairsHemispheric Affairs. N.p., 24 Sept. 2010. Web. 11 Nov. 2012.. N.p., 24 Sept. 2010. Web. 11 Nov. 2012.

• Comuna. In Comuna. In WikipediaWikipedia. Retrieved November 12, 2012. . Retrieved November 12, 2012. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Communes_of_Chile http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Communes_of_Chile

• http://books.google.com/books?http://books.google.com/books?id=03Po53mMle8C&pg=PT18&dq=buenos+aires+argentina+comunas&hl=en&sa=X&ei=9imgUid=03Po53mMle8C&pg=PT18&dq=buenos+aires+argentina+comunas&hl=en&sa=X&ei=9imgUPWKMIOB0AGNmIHICA&ved=0CDkQ6AEwBA#v=onepage&q&f=falsePWKMIOB0AGNmIHICA&ved=0CDkQ6AEwBA#v=onepage&q&f=false

• http://www.razonypalabra.org.mx/N/N75/varia_75/08_Montilla_V75.pdfhttp://www.razonypalabra.org.mx/N/N75/varia_75/08_Montilla_V75.pdf

• http://www.mcti.gob.ve/Noticias/12464http://www.mcti.gob.ve/Noticias/12464

• http://venezuelanalysis.com/news/6382http://venezuelanalysis.com/news/6382

• http://www.fonacit.gov.ve/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=339:infocentros-http://www.fonacit.gov.ve/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=339:infocentros-comunales-poder-en-manos-del-pueblo&catid=42:noticias-ciencia-al-diacomunales-poder-en-manos-del-pueblo&catid=42:noticias-ciencia-al-dia