The Amish live in communes where as far as I know they practice what could be considered a form of communism. They also live in ways that are self sufficient and sustainable. However, they have been criticized for their conservative religious views (which come with unpleasant things such as homophobia, etc) as well as their complete denouncing of anyone who leaves, which many consider symptoms of a cult. Another thing is that you have to follow their specific religion to live in their community.

I’ve never heard any communists comment on them, so what do people in this community think of the Amish and their lifestyle?

  • T34 [they/them]
    6•3 years ago

    I think they’d fit into the group Engels called reactionary socialists.

    [ Reactionary Socialists: ]

    The first category consists of adherents of a feudal and patriarchal society which has already been destroyed, and is still daily being destroyed, by big industry and world trade and their creation, bourgeois society. This category concludes, from the evils of existing society, that feudal and patriarchal society must be restored because it was free of such evils. In one way or another, all their proposals are directed to this end.

    This category of reactionary socialists, for all their seeming partisanship and their scalding tears for the misery of the proletariat, is nevertheless energetically opposed by the communists for the following reasons:

    (i) It strives for something which is entirely impossible.

    (ii) It seeks to establish the rule of the aristocracy, the guildmasters, the small producers, and their retinue of absolute or feudal monarchs, officials, soldiers, and priests – a society which was, to be sure, free of the evils of present-day society but which brought it at least as many evils without even offering to the oppressed workers the prospect of liberation through a communist revolution.

    (iii) As soon as the proletariat becomes revolutionary and communist, these reactionary socialists show their true colors by immediately making common cause with the bourgeoisie against the proletarians.