DISILLUSION AND APATHY

http://www.solhaam.org/articles/kibbut.html

For some time now many able and disillusioned young have been leaving kibbutz life for more rewarding and satisfying life outside.

Kibbutzim are attempting to counter this trend by letting younger members study for professional and academic qualifications, largely of their choice. In turn the member is expected to commit himself to life on the kibbutz.

Members work to an increasing extent outside the kibbutz and their salary goes directly to the kibbutz. {KIB 03}


The system of allocating work by handing out jobs, by rotating them, is fair from the point of view of some work being more pleasant or satisfying than other kinds of work, from the point of view of members' abilities and skills, likes and dislikes. Decisions about work are made by and close to the people doing the work.

On the other hand, imposing decisions about work when these are made remotely in a managerial hierarchy, usually demotivates. In a natural reaction to the style of management, workers cease to care, lack commitment and dedicated effort. {KIB 09-12}


And now look again at what has been reported about Kfar Hanasi {KIB 03}:

1.

None of the manual workers in Kfar Hanasi's foundry is a member of the kibbutz.

Kfar Hanasi are now treating individual kibbutz operations as profit centres, looking at their profitability and costing labour.

Differential salaries are being discussed and kibbutz members are to have the choice of community dining, eating out or cooking at home.

Kfar Hanasi's Member Assembly has been replaced by closed circuit television apparently because it has been 'so poorly attended in recent years'.
2.

Motivation is lacking, people do not seem to care any more. The young tend to leave the kibbutz, and there is a fear of people leaving.

What seems to be happening in this kibbutz is that 'contribution to profits' is coming in, pay differentials are coming in, decision-taking by members is going out, 'service to community', motivation and commitment are going out, younger members are leaving.