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PROPHETS AND LOCAL ECO-COMMUNITIES 295
the Network and we have no knowledge of any community trying to establish an
alternative complex ecological way of life in these regions. There is little hope for
leveling out these geographical inequalities as long as the initiating intellectuals
cannot break away from the (capital)city.
The foundations of a new world
The number of communities and rudimentary communities participating in the
New Koma Network grew sevenfold over the course of four and a half years. This
pace of growth is not guaranteed in the future, of course, but should it remain
unchanged, there could be several hundred mutually collaborating local eco
communities in the country within a few years. That would be a level at which
these communities might begin to coalesce into a country-transforming force.
Naturally, it is not enough just to have such communities. They must become
influential actors who can effect changes in the settlements and households. The
signs are good, but it is still early days. The communities of the New Koma Network
have already laid a few smaller building blocks for the foundations of the new
world; some operate a shopping community; others have persuaded the local
government to ban burning leaf litter and taught many people how to compost;
still others cleared some room for community events.
We in the Microcommunity Program continue to make efforts to see more and
more local eco-communities founded and to support their effective work all over
the Carpathian Basin — while, as researchers of an activist trend, we also examine
the process theoretically. We restarted the portal Wayout.hu in early 2019, especially
for those who are already, or are determined to become, members of eco-communities.