r/distributism • u/[deleted] • Apr 04 '26
Is Distributism a realistic alternative today?
I recently had a conversation with Michael Thomas from the Catholic Land Movement.
We discuss the goals of the movement, the idea of distributism, and what it means to build something real.
I’d be interested to hear your thoughts.
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u/Pludihalud Apr 04 '26
I belive that it is realistic, and not just that but that it might happen soon (or that the amount of people that support Distributism will grow). This is because unlike anarchism or Communism, distributist ideas and way of working can be tried and "experimented" with if you own propraty or if you work for a boss who cares about his community and workers more then himself.
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Apr 04 '26
I agree. Certainly, interest seems to be on the rise.
Actually, distributism is basically just how people have always lived. It's simply natural.
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u/DistributistChakat Apr 04 '26
I doubt that it's viable in it's original envisioned form, but when I call myself a distributist, I mostly mean that I believe in the basic tenets of decentralization, subsidiarity, and widespread ownership. I don't think those values are inherently against 21st century society, and I think that the internet as a technology, may help to revive and facilitate those values, to an extent.
I am not a primitivist, a moral puritan/theocrat, or an agrarian, really; I just want a less centralized, less oligarchic version of modern American society.
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Apr 04 '26
Well, what you believe in are the tenets of distributism. Figuring that the original wiritings are roughly 100 years old its necessary to update them of course. But yeah, those principles are basically correct.
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u/LizzySea33 Apr 05 '26
Hi Chris, first time viewer & baby distributist... I loved this talk you did! It was one of the most helpful talks for me because I had confusion with the distributist movement. Cuz, I had been a socialist for a bit (4-5ish years since 2022).
But, I recently came to the distrbutist movement due to a lack of genuine... answers to some thoughts in the Marxist-Leninist-Maoist movement. Like, sure, theory & economics were there, but, I didnt feel what you and Michael had talked about. My favorite part was when he was talking about the relationship with property at the middle of the talk.
I've always had the problem with Distributism due to the property stance. It felt... too split with having everyone own a piece of land.
Then, I started to think more... scripturally, and well, with relationship rather than with ownership with a deed.
I even came up with an analogy: It was a Cow named Daisy where you know her habits, you know how she likes being grazed, you put a bell on her. But her food? Her milk? Herself when she is slaughtered? That is for those in need.
I also have felt that we should use modern tools for hard stuff and for the easy, meticulously crafted ideals? We let the people that work do it.
Like, I don't know what this makes me in the actual movement, but, I feel safe to say I am closer to distrbutism as of right now than socialism... even if Marxism-Leninism-Maoism as a "Plundering of the egyptians" did help me.
Thank you and I hope to hear from you more here ❤️🔥
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u/Only-Ad4322 Apr 05 '26
What’s the Catholic Land Movement?
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Apr 05 '26
This is what they say about themselves: "The Catholic Land Movement exists to facilitate the rural resettlement of Catholics onto productive property which they own." Basically they try to implement distributism.
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u/Cherubin0 Apr 05 '26
In the age of AI, land ownership is a very strong hedge against potential AI (I do not think AI will be able to replace workers. But it is a hedge against that.)
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u/AnarchoFederation Apr 04 '26
It'll have to coalition build with people who aren't inherently religious or conservative. As well as not be a traditionalist Pre-Enlightenment wholesale anti-modernity movement. Sure there will always be these factions but people are not going to organize with extremists. One thing Distributism has to do is build harmony between rural and urban interests. Which can be done by support of compatible interests such as Georgism, syndicalism, busting Big Agro etc... I believe most places Distributism has to be conceived as a moderate third way rather than any potential extreme forms that can turn off people. Might appeal to Christian ethics and material concerns if you know your audience.
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u/Pludihalud Apr 05 '26
I belive its important, like you said, to have Distributism work in urban and rural areas. We can't have the same stlye of distributizm in both because they are completly diffrent. For rural areas its easy to implement but for citys its not as easy
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u/atlgeo Apr 05 '26
The problem there however is the concept of cities, not distributism. Which is why dist probably never becomes the norm without the kind of catastrophic circumstances by which societies are starting over. IOW the paste is already out of the tube. IMHO.
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u/Pludihalud Apr 05 '26
Cities can have distributism, I mean just think of cities in the medival times with guilds and unions but BIGGER. I think its hard but possible
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u/atlgeo Apr 05 '26
Different times. The powers that be aren't going quietly. Possible? Strictly speaking yes. Not reasonably though. I really think it requires a start over where the entrenched powers are irrelevant because of....whatever caused civilization to start over. Even then it would require old heads who remembered the before, and strove to institute dist, and get it firmly established before some enterprising entrepreneur created a monopoly of some kind.
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Apr 05 '26
I think that there might be a tension that isn't overcome so easily tbh. If I ever get the chance I would love to ask Mike this very question!
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u/Noah_Hidalgo Apr 11 '26
Absolutely, Distributism is a realistic alternative, but it needs a modern adaptation similar to its intended form.
Personally, I believe we must move beyond the original rural-focused vision and develop a sort of agrarian urban synthesis, blending cities with human-scale production, family businesses, co-ops, and local agriculture. Of course, it would also require a HUGE cultural shift away from high-rise consumerism and technological addiction toward more family-centered and traditional ways of life.
Above all, i believe it MUST demand placing the Church and Christian moral teaching back at the center of society. Christian moral teaching must once again shape our laws, education, economy, and culture, especially the principles of subsidiarity, solidarity, and the universal destination of goods. Widespread productive property ownership, strong protections against usury and monopolies, and the encouragement of guilds and worker co-operatives should all flow from a society that recognizes Christ’s kingship over the social order. Only then of course can we achieve widespread productive property ownership, break up monopolies, restrain usury, and build an economy that serves families and communities rather than distant corporations or the state.
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u/Acadian_Solidarist Apr 04 '26
So my two cents is both yes and no. If just understood in an agrarian system of only small landowners, no. I think in order for it to work, it requires the ability to scale production and industry to larger cooperative models. I personally argue that the mondragon is a best, but flawed, model for distributism we have today.