[Concept of the therapeutic community]

The historic development of therapeutic communities is discussed, and it is shown that the term has been neither conceptualized not operationalized. Their unclear aims are considered to be utopian, and the author stresses that previous studies on such communities have been too superficial. The following problems have not hitherto received attention: 1. micro- and macrosocial relationships, 2. the role of the supervisor (authority problems), 3. norms and valuation systems, 4. discipline and sanctions, 5. the problem of roles, 6. questions of indicants and efficacy. The introduction of therapeutic communities is superfluous as a means of improving the socialist health services: it is sufficient to implement the principles of socialist democracy by means of appropriate training programmes.