if a group of people were to head to a developing country

Although not essential to my point, I am not encouraging people to move anywhere. This is under the assumption that the people of that specific country gather to do this, not for people to immigrate for it.

a more concrete arrangement and place within the local economy, etc. would be more ideal (and probably necessary for survival/viability) IMO.

Can you please expand this point? I don’t quite understand what this “more concrete arrangement and…” is exactly, and why it’s needed.

when those with such resources to start such a thing could also genuinely create the foundations for something even more broadly-reaching and potentially, politically/etc. potent.

I don’t necessarily agree with this. A capitalist state is much more likely to persecute someone doing this, but much less likely a commune. And when you’re just starting out, you’re quite vulnerable to the state, especially the mass surveillance and hyper militarized police states of today.

pursue a trade surplus with the wider world

I just don’t see why that’s needed. Capitalists trade to accumulate capital, whereas a commune is interested in growing its ability to produce in a self sufficient manner.

Why not try to create a mini-China?

That’s… Actually kind of what I’m getting at. And maybe you phrased it better than I could have.

but I don’t see why remaining a commune

Not intended to stay that way, which is why I called it a starting point!

Why shouldn’t it compete with private industry

The goal is to produce what the members of the commune need. If that can be produced locally, I don’t see a need to compete.

Why, especially in developing (ie. colonized) countries, should the focus be on a limited commune’s development rather than promoting industrial and economic development in the broader region

If I understood you correctly (sorry English isn’t my native), you’re asking why only serve the limited number of members of the commune, and not other people in the same region not part of the commune.

If so, the commune would have a goal to expand. It would promote people to join it, participate, and then it can cover the needs of more and more. Growth is part of the plan.

Why is trade necessary? Is it because the commune would not be able to produce everything it needs and wants? What if it can cover all needs and good enough portion of the wants?

From my extremely limited familiarity with the communes I’ve read about, including in the Americas, it seems like their goal is just an escape plan that has no aspiration for overthrowing global capitalism or growth. What I’m speaking about is the opposite. It is not meant to be insular. The commune’s goal would be to grow, inspire other communes, and organize them together.

If and when the armed struggle initiates, it’ll be in a much better position with the existence of communes that could be the manufacturing arm of the revolution.

It could be a stepping stone for better political change. You have to start somewhere, and right now the state is way too powerful. If a revolution does start, the commune can act as a safety net for revolutionaries, and possibly supply the revolutionaries with what they need.

I agree that it has to industrialize. Does it have to compete with private industry from the get-go? The commune’s goal in the beginning is to build up its ability to satisfy the needs of its members, and the industry will build up slowly. No need to compete with private industry.

Promote non interventionism. We don’t have to convince them to like China. It’s enough to convince them to stop meddling in foreign country affairs, and focus on building socialism in America. We’ll cross the China bridge when we get there (seemingly never)

The events of Lebanon makes way less optimistic about the armed struggle. Hezbollah is the most powerful non-state actor, but it took a massive blow from Israel in such a short time. Israel can watch them 24/7 from satellites, can compromise their supply chain, and can even compromise their communication. Their technical and logistical superiority is so great, it is difficult to imagine beating them.