it's a quandry, to be sure....but i've seen this sort of ethic work in small settings, and don't think it's too utopian to think that it could happen anywhere. note i don't say "everywhere" as though everyone's going to be great and look out for one another suddenly, but anywhere, as though people can make a choice and try to better themselves and the group (and thereby themselves, and thereby...etc) and not depend solely on outside leadership to tell them what to do. outside control won't disappear--it is far too theoretical and utopian to be worth bringing up yet--but even under that, the sort of freedom that's available from being able to have a community policing and looking out for itself severely reduces the need for that outside control, that outside assistance that often comes at a great price. it's a matter of unity.