Identifying Key Community Success Factors - Essay Example

To clarify, the ideal community can be loosely defined by a few factors that almost every person, living or dead and despite cultural differences, as a functional place where people reside, occupy themselves, socialize and have all of their basic needs met. Although further factors will undeniably be added to this list both by individuals and groups, the fact is that the ideal community will consist of a group of people who all contribute in some way to the well-being and contentment of others within the group while enjoying simultaneous support.

Every basic need of a human being must be met within the Utopian society without putting any one citizen or subset of people at a disadvantage. There are three crucial factors that will directly affect the creation and preservation of the basic ideal community: an accepted set of ideals and morals on which to base major decisions and any type of government, the opportunity for growth and stability. The first important factor in the success of any community setting is moral homogeneity; this is the most crucial aspect of a Utopian society however it is also the most difficult to establish and maintain simply because of human nature.

Without a set guideline - for example something like a Constitution or religious doctrine that dictates acceptable and expected behavior as well as a moral framework from which to base future unforeseen decisions - it is impossible for any group of people to agree on any aspect of their lives that involves conscious thought. The establishment of such a set of lifestyle guidelines is by no means a new idea; it has been done by virtually every religious group, every political group and even by family units to ensure that members are acting in a way befitting of the group's creators.

The issue with indoctrinated morality is the fact that people will very rarely agree on such delicate ideals and any fully consented document could therefore only include generalized guidelines instead of specific ways of dealing with the various issues of any given community. As with individuals, communities also require the ability to grow and to change as time wears on; this is the nature of people and groups alike; the problem with growth of course is the pressure it puts on any community doctrine or tradition.

As a community ages, its citizens realize better which methods or morals are actually useful and which have been more of a hindrance than a help to the community morale and success. As a citizen within any community, one will want to visualize him or herself as an integral part of society in some way or form; this might mean to advance into government levels (if indeed a formal government exists in said community) or by providing basic maintenance for public buildings. In whatever small or large way, people need to feel that their life will have an impact on the community that has nurtured them; without this reciprocity any occupation can feel dull, meaningless and lead to many issues from mental health considerations to disparity to crime.

For an ideal community to flourish, each member must realize their own potential to contribute and feel validated by receiving all they need from the community in return. The third important factor in building and maintaining a