The Review Deposit Is Something Many Members Don't Understand About the Commune—Let Me Explain Again

The Commune is the lowest-threshold protection in the world, and a low threshold often means it will be abused.

To buy insurance, you need to pay a large sum first. This money is the premium, but it is also in effect a deposit; when disputes and problems arise, the insurance company has the upper hand.

The Commune's zero threshold means it does not have this advantage; when problems arise, the Commune is the weaker party.

Economically speaking (setting aside moral factors), when faced with a service like the Commune's, for someone who did not originally meet the Commune's conditions, the most advantageous move is to become a member, pass the waiting period, and seek help. If the application fails, it doesn't matter—I lose nothing (even fulfilling a year of obligations is a very small amount). If by chance it succeeds, it's a large sum of money.

So this encourages economically advantageous but immoral behavior, which is in fact fraud.

Moreover, given our national conditions, a certain proportion will inevitably pass the review. When someone succeeds in their scheme, who bears the loss? Isn't it the broad membership that pays?

The deposit essentially raises the threshold for fraudulent behavior. Those previously irresponsible, reckless applications can weigh things against the deposit, and such reckless applications may decrease. But clearly, 5,000 yuan compared with 300,000 is still too little.

So a deposit of 5,000 is not much. As for poor people being unable to produce 5,000: on the one hand, I think anyone who can go online, use WeChat, and accept the Commune's philosophy surely can produce 5,000; on the other hand, if they truly cannot produce 5,000, they would not stay in the Commune for more than half a year either. So the harm to poor people? I don't think it's there.

As for whether the Commune can profit from the deposit, I can only say you're overthinking it. On the one hand, the deposit absolutely must not be touched; on the other hand, it is only held for a month or two; and more importantly, if the application is approved it is refunded, and if not approved it has to be used up to cover the review fee. How much room for profit is there in that?

I hope our dear members can think rationally. This really helps protect everyone's interests. It is an important piece of the Commune's institutional innovation, and I firmly believe all platforms will follow suit.