Where Have All the Communes Gone? Religion's Effect on the Survival of Communes

Abstract

Although previous research has found religion to have a significant effect on commune survival, these conclusions were typically based on bivariate analyses. Drawing on data collected by the Fellowship for Intentional Community, we present a multivariate analysis of communal survival using a comparatively large sample (N = 454) of modern American communes. Controlling for key factors suggested by the literature, we find that religion does not have a significant, direct effect on commune survival. Rather, the total population of the commune, whether the commune owned the land, and its longevity significantly influenced survival of a commune between 1995 and 2000. We discuss the implications of these findings for research on the role of religion in communes.