Intentional Communities in Latin America

Historical Overview

An early form of Latin American intentional community were the Reducciones (collectives) that were established by and for the Guaraní Indians of what is now Argentina, Brazil, Paraguay, and Uruguay. Jesuit missionaries established the first collective in 1609. Although one goal was to spread the Christian gospel, it was to be accomplished through communal living; the Jesuits hoped to create a Christian utopia for the Indians and for themselves. By the early eighteenth century, about thirty communal Reducciones were thriving, each with as many as 20,000 members. Not surprisingly, their governance was theocratic, with the Jesuits making major decisions, although a great deal of self-management was allowed for smaller, community matters. Each community had a large central square with a huge cross and main buildings, including the church. Members lived in small family houses, in a carefully laid-out pattern, just behind the church and square. Reducciones also had hospitals, warehouses, and workshops. Most members worked on their communally owned property, and all products were more or less equally distributed. In addition to farming, members also produced musical instruments, sculpture and other works of art, and even watches. Because of Jesuit control, education was very important, and it is probable that the society these intentional communities comprised was among the first to be almost completely literate. In 1767, the Jesuits were expelled under Portuguese military duress, and the Guaraní returned to the forests to try to avoid slavery. Today, remains of these Reducciones can be seen throughout the region. One of the most scenic is San Ignacio Mini, established in 1632 in Argentina. A version of its story was popularized by Robert Bolt in his novel The Mission (1986), which was also made into a film of the same name.

During the latter years of the nineteenth century, many Europeans and Australians moved to Latin America to establish socialist communes. This happened most commonly in Paraguay, where commune members sought to achieve perfection through socialism and intentional community living Examples included the Lincolnshire Farmers (United Kingdom), San Bernardino and Nueva Germania (Germany), Nueva Italia (Italy), Colonia Elisa (Sweden), Nueva Australia (Australia), and New Wales (United Kingom).

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