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Culture War Roundup for the week of March 13, 2023

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Whose family is a commune? Traditionally they were patriarchies or sometimes matriarchies. Nowadays they may be more equal partnerships, but little Billy doesn't own the house in common, neither legally nor in reality.

Little Billy does in fact refer to it as "his house," and he is correct to do so. No, he cannot sell it, but there is a meaningful sense in which it is "his." "From each according to his ability; to each according to his need" is a good approximation of how families are run. If you point to a patriarch in charge of a family, I can point to any communist regime ever with an obvious patriarch at the top of society.

but little Billy doesn't own the house in common, neither legally nor in reality.

"Own" is a contract with the larger society. Billy gets to live in it and use it and the things in it in accordance to his needs. Dad pays the mortgage and does 80% of the yardwork in accordance with his abilities. If Billy shatters his spine and becomes paraplegic, he can do 0% of the work and not only will his claim to the resources of the house not be threatened, it will increase and Stacey will be expected to pick up the slack and forgo things she used to get that the house can no longer afford.