Indonesia is made up of tens of thousands of villages and the tradition of gotong royong (village socialism) is the real basis of political rule. Having its roots in much earlier times, it is an all important principle in Indonesian life and it is greatly stressed. Go tong royong means the joint responsibility and mutual cooperation of the whole community to each of its members. When fire, flood, earthquake, volcanic eruption strike, when pipelines carrying water break down or a new dam needs building or an old dam needs repairing, gotong royong goes immediately into effect. Men usually work with their own tools and without pay. Sometimes neighboring villagers are expected to help. If a village follows this communal organization, no household will be at anytime without land to work or without employment to subsist. Anyone in trouble will receive help. A nation can be run in the same way and gotong royong could also be expanded to mean a military agreement as between two states.