Why was communes successful?

Because of human nature. Communism expects you to act against our own best interests by toiling for the common good and being happy with whatever scraps and mediocre subsistence they allow you. Instead of opportunity, where you have the chance to pursue a dream or a private life, you get to spend your life slaving away with no opportunity.

Usually, under communism, what they dole out to the citizens is vastly inadequate and of low quality. Supply chain mismanagement, hunger, shortages, and worse are common in communism.

The only people in a communist scheme who live enjoyably are the power brokers at the top of the government's power structure. Unless you're born into it or appointed by them, you don't get any...