As Better Futures Housing Trust (BFHT) gets off the ground, our journey ahead is becoming clearer. BFHT is based on the idea that enlightened current property owners are willing to sell or donate their property into our land trust so that individuals and families can now, and into the future, have a stable financially viable community to live in. This concept can be seen as radical to the generally accepted norm that property owners should be focusing on enhancing their personal wealth.
The idea of building personal wealth wasn’t always the accepted view. The shift from building communal wealth to growing personal wealth is complex and a cultural process that occurred over a long period of time and across different societies and regions. This shift can generally be traced back to the rise of capitalism in Europe during the 16th and 17th centuries.
In the medieval period, most economic activity was organized around communal institutions such as guilds and village communities, which regulated trade and production in order to ensure the common good. With the expansion of international trade and the emergence of new forms of financial and commercial activity, these traditional structures began to break down. In their place, a new economic system based on the pursuit of individual profit and accumulation of private property began to take hold.
This shift was accompanied by a new cultural emphasis on individualism and self-interest. As capitalism spread and evolved over the centuries, this emphasis on personal wealth and individual success became increasingly entrenched.
It’s important to note that this process of change was not uniform across all societies or even within individual societies. Different cultures and historical contexts have produced different approaches to wealth creation and distribution, and even within capitalist societies there are still communal structures and values that play an important role in shaping economic activity.
In our context, building communal wealth refers to the collective effort of individuals and institutions to create sustainable and equitable wealth that benefits the community as a whole.
To achieve communal wealth, contemporary societies are increasingly focusing on creating or re-introducing collaborative and inclusive approaches to economic and social development. This means building strong networks and partnerships among various stakeholders, including local communities, civil society organizations, government agencies, and private sector entities.
One important aspect of building communal wealth is the promotion of sustainable development practices that support the preservation of natural resources and the environment. This can involve initiatives such as conservation efforts, renewable energy projects, and sustainable agriculture and forestry practices.
Finally, building communal wealth also requires a commitment to social justice and equity, including efforts to address systemic inequalities and promote equal access to education, healthcare, and other essential services.
Contemporary societies are increasingly recognizing the importance of building communal wealth as a means of promoting sustainable, equitable, and inclusive development for all members of society. Better Future Housing Trust promotes these ideals by providing stable housing for the “missing middle” income earners who could not otherwise afford to buy and benefit from real property.