CBC Archives

Write the following definitions from Dictionary.com on the board:
Anarchy:

1. Absence of any form of political authority
2. Political disorder and confusion
3. Absence of any cohesive principle, such as a common standard or purpose

Communism:

1. A theoretical economic system characterized by the collective ownership of property and by the organization of labour for the common advantage of all members

Discuss these ideas as a class and ensure that all students are clear on their meaning.

Have students examine Clips #11, 12, and 13, and the Additional Clip “Rochdale: The experiment explodes” on the topic Hippie Society: The Youth Rebellion on the CBC Radio and Television Archives Web site. As they explore the site, have students write detailed responses to the following questions (also available on the download sheet Hippie Politics):

1. What were the results of the hippies’ experiments with alternative lifestyles?
2. Why did the experiments in anarchy and communism eventually fail?
3. What could have made the experiments more successful?
4. What are your opinions of anarchy and communism as systems of social organization?

Have students discuss their responses and listen carefully to one another’s opinions. Ask: Were the experiments doomed to fail from the outset? Do you think anarchy and communism would fail in today’s political and economic climate in Canada? Do you think there is more room for alternative points of view in today’s political and economic climate in Canada? Have students explain their answers in detail.

The hippies are now in their 50s, 60s, and 70s. Students can write an opinion paper or reflect in their journals about how they think the hippies’ experimentation with alternative lifestyles affected the rest of their lives, if at all.