Child Of The Collective Analysis

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Imagine living in a community where all property is distributed to ensure maximum equality for inhabitants. Children are raised communally in group homes; all individuals receive enough material goods to sustain themselves - and nothing more - and each decision is made with the overall welfare of the community in mind. While this description may resemble utopia, a community of this type does exist; it's called a kibbutz. Kibbutzim (plural for kibbutz) were established in Israel in the early 20th century as agricultural communities founded on socialist principles. Today, kibbutzim have evolved from these small-knit socialist communities to industrially diverse modern mini-societies.
In his article, “Child of the Collective,” author Noam Shpancer …show more content…
However, the nature of Shpancer’s evidence which leads him to criticize the kibbutz as a heartless and negative environment for children lacks acknowledgment of the many benefits of a kibbutz childhood. Furthermore, Shpancer’s experience, while valid, does not reflect the overall quality of an upbringing on a kibbutz beyond his own upbringing. Shpancer focuses too narrowly on his own experience, while neglecting to note benefits that the kibbutz may have had on other children, especially later on in life. This narrow focus neglects to recognize how the childrearing system impacts individuals beyond himself, such as the other kibbutz families and community …show more content…
Research also contradicts Shapncer’s argument that the kibbutz is apathetic towards education. Joseph R. Blasi, coordinator of Kibbutz Research Project at Harvard University, argues that children on the kibbutz receive broader and more practical education than children raised in the city (Blasi). Blasi continues that the kibbutz provides a “wider meaning of learning,” and that “the similarity between social and education principles in the community” are beneficial in introducing children from an early age to the values of society (Blasi). Contrary to Shpancer’s experience of deprioritized education, Blasi states that the “structure of ‘schooling’ and child-rearing [leads to] very positive outcomes from the kibbutz educational system” (Blasi). Thus, despite Shpancer’s negative experiences on the kibbutz, research suggests that kibbutzim provide significant educational, emotional and developmental
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