Communities have been central to our social evolution. Tribal relations were the foundation of all modern culture. As representative of our western society the Jewish people show us the example of this concept of tribal community today. A well structured community has the potential of creating many  social and economic benefits.

Churches, social organizations, and political institutions  have become today's structure of community. These communities are generally not well structured economically,  the communities themselves do not function as a whole economic mechanism.

Study and development of communities has fallen short to the opportunities this form of organization can offer. 

In the delivery of goods and services as well as consumption there are efficiencies that a community offers. Efficiencies as well as improvements in education within a close nit community structure could be optimized.      

But most important of all is the opportunity for moral/ethical construct. It is almost unique and inherent to the community environment that it develop a code of ethics. In this aspect, the development of morally healthy individuals would be the main catalyst for a better quality of life.  

Morality, is possibly the most important component to this theme. After all the object of this concept is to improve the human condition, not only through education and economics but as an objectively better environment for existence as a whole.        

A simple out line of our current human condition would indicate great social and economic inefficiencies with this status quo. It is my belief that by including a well organized community, within the existing infrastructure you would find dramatic improvements in our human condition.    

We have behavior patterns very similar to chimpanzees, and for that matter most communal animals. These species live in community and work together to achieve a common goal. We in the same way as these other animals have a psychological need for community. We are hard wired as social beings, and its this social component of humanity that has given us our ability to build our culture over these many years. 

It surprises me that so little study has gone into something that has been so central to our human development.  An overview of past and present communities, followed by an analysis of structure and beneficial aspects, should define what would be the best design suited for the purpose. 

To best understand the process and behavior of a community, you would need to take into account the individual personality construct of each person and how it is conditioned by our environment, and the idea is how to best create the environment that would best lead to a more kind, effective, loving and contented people.

We tend to mimic the conditions of our environment and our childhood environment tends to affect us in a very endemic manner. Carefully controlled communities tend to cause different effects. Observation of Amish, Mormon, Scientologist, or various Christian communities will demonstrate the variety of personality variations that can occur. For an interesting essay of a community clickhere. 

EARLY EUROPEAN MONASTIC COMMUNITIES

St Benedict's rule was a basic rule book written by St. Benedict for the running of his monasteries approximately 320 AD. The simplicity and beauty of its structure was the administrative core that ran western culture till the 1500s. It was, those that could read, men and women that wished to think. The monasteries of that time were basically the only source of literature and human examination. Granted, they were proportionately flawed. Together with the ruling families of the time, these monasteries or The Church held order and direction. 

Almost a twist on the statement, "the meek will inherit the earth," in the 1500s, these ruling families took the assets of these monastic orders, as well as authority and encouraged decentralization of religion as a whole.       

By the late 1700s the organizational structure throughout western culture had become the newly understood system of Democracy or representative government, with an underlying economic basis of either capitalism or communism.       

The underlying organizational framework of the monastic orders is a solid one.

As St benedict himself said it was only a start, and it surprises me that the existing monastic orders have not evolved. That no major improvements had been made for 1700+ years to the Rule itself, and that it has been overlooked for so long. 

I possibly overlook the fact they are religious institutions not intent on economic performance or particularly secular education. None the less, I have found that this is an excellent form or architecture for a social structure. In particular for the administrative body. Well educated, selfless people who vow poverty yet captain the ship.      

As a secular organization the prayers would be out of place. Add some logic to the monastic basis, and make it co-ed and it should work fine. If the word monastery some how scares someone off ...keep in mind its meaning has been confused and is a contradiction.