You work for yourself here, in a commune you work for all.

Less sex.

One stems from rational self interest, the other uses a herd mentality, in which your efforts belong to everyone else.

Good grief! How can anybody ask?!
In a commune (as I understand it; I have never lived in one, nor wanted to) things are di
vided up onto equal shares, regardless of how
much effort any particular individuals have put
into producing what is needed.
In the Galt's Gulch of Atlas Shrugged, in-
dividuals support themselves, individually, and
even when someone loans someone else his
car, by custom there is at least a nominal
charge. There is an exchange of effort, not one
incompetent sucking off other competent people.

Self interest and the higher productivity that results.

Greetings johnmcgrath,
That depends upon your meaning. The word as spelled has different connotations. http://dictionary.reference.com/brows...
Only #1 of the three options provided in the link I supplied is applicable to Galt's Gulch in the abstract. Here in this online community, the answer to your question is in the reading.
You may wish to be more specific.
I see you have not commented here previously so we have no idea of your knowledge of the books or philosophy... where to begin?
Respectfully,
O.A.

What a silly question.

A good question, as a gut-check. Both are communities built toward achieving a goal. I think both would assume a level of protection for the common good.
The fork is at the goal. Does each person sublimate to the whole or does each derive their own worth and joy and trade value for value? Disclaimer that I've never lived in either (probably few of us here have.)
As an adjunct, what of artist colonies? Or Taliesin (Frank Lloyd Wright's community/school/cult)? The line isn't always so black and white...

I have to admit that I was somewhat stunned by this question. To me there is absolutely no comparison, with the possible exception of less sex. I kinda think that when are proud of their abilities and production, they have a greater sense of self worth and their sex drive goes up.The only thing is that at the end of day you might be too tired... LOL

Communes are usually built upon mystical beliefs. Not gonna happen.
Each individual is responsible for his/her own well-being.
No free lunches.

Commune: From each according to his ability. To each according to his need.
GG: From each according to his need. To each according to his ability.

In the Gulch your individual efforts build your own life and wealth because there is a monetary system in which there is a medium of exchange.

In a commune wealth (if any can be obtained) is shared. Communal living must demand action from the individual for the good of the group.

In the Gulch you work for yourself.

Are you asking about the gulch in AS or this gulch? Not sure that there is a comparison to either but wanted to understand where the question is coming from.

In a commune, a producer produces enough to go around mainly to benefit those who it is given to; producing too much or too little can be wasteful, but surpluses and shortfalls only impact the producer if it is in significant enough quantities or quality to impact the commune as a whole.
In a commune, any innovation or improvements are done only to provide an increased benefit for others, increasing one's productivity only creates opportunity to assist in producing more for others. Few people have the motivation to keep innovating and increasing their own workload consistantly over time solely for the benefit of others.


In GG, a producer produces enough to go around as a medium of trade. Producing more than is useful is waste, as unless it is a commodity or storable good, the resources and time spent producing is a waste. Producing too little is at least waste of one's own time even if higher exchange rates can be had through scarcity.
Innovation and improvement in GG are a driving force, as they directly impact the increased value of at least one's time, if not quality and therefore value of traceable goods.

Additionally;
A Commune is generally formed from a group of like minded people who mainly desire to help each other all the time.

A Galt's Gulch is formed of people who both desire to produce and have the products of their produce valued.

Contradictions cannot exist...

Galt's Gulch would remain, while the Commune would disappear, before long.

one's a shout of acclamation and the other is
a whimper of condescension. -- j
.

We are not communists.

The commune owns everything, including your labor. But in the Gulch you own your labor, its fruits, and whatever you can earn--and you are responsible for defending what's yours. I would surmise the Gulch has a Committee of Safety, consisting of the largest stakeholders, or their proxies. The Triumvirs seem to function as a Committee of Safety: Francisco d'Anconia in his own right, John Galt as proxy for Midas Mulligan, and Ragnar Danneskjöld as a man on a mission--and, I would imagine, earning a lot of commissions.

Both are private. GG is comprised of rational men who are independent and productive; a commune includes collectivists who are the opposite.