Communes will not limit the consumption of abundent resources, and will only do so whenever it becomes scarce
When the revolution comes, the people will be driven by force of circumstances to take possession of all the provisions, beginning with the barest necessaries, and gradually extending communism to other things, in order to satisfy the needs of all the citizens. But upon what basis must society be organized to ensure that all people may have their due share of resources. There is only one way in which communism can be established equitably, only one way which satisfies our instincts of justice and is at the same time practical.
If the commune possesses an abundance of a paticular resource, then, so long as there is plenty of it, everyone can take as much as they want, without any other hindrance than the public opinion of their neighbours. As to scarce resources, they have to be carefully apportioned. Where there is an abundence of resources, you will find people taking things as they need them, without any thought of limiting each share of the resource. But the resource will be allowanced and parcelled out to each person according to their needs, as soon as the resource becomes scarce. The most useful of resources should be priotitised to the sick and children. if an article of consumption runs short, it should be to be doled out to those who have most need most should be given.
It is a fact worth noting that the same system prevails in the distribution of one commodity at least, which is found in abundance, which is the water supplied to each house. As long as there is no fear of the supply running short, no water company thinks of checking the consumption of water in each house. But during a droughts, if there is any fear of the supply running out, the water companies know that all they have to do is to make the fact known, and the citizens will reduce their consumption of water and not let it run out. But if water were actually scarce, we would rely on a system of rations. Such a measure is so natural, so inherent in common sense, that Paris asked twice to be put on rations during the two sieges which it underwent in 1871.
References
- Kropotkin, Peter. (1892). The Conquest of Bread Chapter 5. Food (p. 110).