Land, Labour and Rural Downshifting in Post-Socialist Bulgaria
Land, Labour and Rural Downshifting in Post-Socialist Bulgaria

Summary/Abstract: This article looks at a relatively new phenomenon for Bulgaria – “downshifting” as it is practised in two Bulgarian eco communities. Like similar movements in western countries, in the past several years also in Bulgaria young, well educated people move to rural and remote areas to live and raise their families outside the framework of paid jobs and the comforts of city life. In the article I focus on the specific anti-materialist and anti-capitalist ideas of the members of the eco-communities. Also, I follow the alternative agricultural ideas of the founders of the communities, namely permaculture and regenerative agriculture to see how they correspond to their anti-consumerist ideologies, and if and how they offer alternative social and labour relations. Finally, I pay attention to the utilization of free labour in the communities to show that despite their attempts to exit the capitalist frame, “the new peasants” actually integrate non-market ideas in market relations to secure the everyday existence of the communities.

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