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The Cooperative Society: The next stage of human history
The Cooperative Society: The next stage of human history
The Cooperative Society: The next stage of human history
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The Cooperative Society: The next stage of human history

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In this book, we present the hypothesis that humans may be on the threshold of a new historical stage, one characterized by cooperation, democracy, the equitable distribution of resources and a sustainable relationship with nature. Our history for more than 200,000 years has included cooperation with one another, with other species and with our

LanguageEnglish
Release dateNov 17, 2016
ISBN9780998066219
The Cooperative Society: The next stage of human history
Author

E.G. Nadeau

E.G. Nadeau has an undergraduate degree in sociology from Harvard University and a Ph.D. in sociology from the University of Wisconsin-Madison. He has been researching, developing, teaching, and writing about cooperatives and communities for over 40 years. From February 2014 to September 2015, Nadeau served as the research director for the US Overseas Cooperative Development Council, and organized the International Cooperative Research Group, a division of OCDC. In 2012, Nadeau wrote The Cooperative Solution: How the United States can tame recessions, reduce inequality, and protect the environment. He also co-authored Cooperation Works! with David Thompson in 1996. Over a period of 30 years, from 1985 to the present, Nadeau has been doing domestic and international co-op consulting work for Cooperative Development Services, the National Cooperative Business Association/CLUSA, Land O' Lakes International Development Division, the U.S. Overseas Cooperative Development Council, and other organizations. He served on the faculty of the Master in Management - Cooperatives and Credit Unions Program at St. Mary's University in Halifax, N.S. from 2004 to 2013. He lives in Madison, Wisconsin.

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    Book preview

    The Cooperative Society - E.G. Nadeau

    cover_co_op_nadeau.jpg

    Copyright © 2016 by E.G. Nadeau and Luc Nadeau

    All rights reserved. No part of this book may be used or reproduced in any form whatsoever, by any means, including electronic or mechanical, without written permission from the authors.

    Published by E.G. Nadeau and Luc Nadeau

    egnadeau3@gmail.com

    www.thecooperativesociety.org

    158 Kensington Drive

    Madison, WI 53704

    Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data

    Nadeau, E.G., and Nadeau, Luc

    The Cooperative Society:

    The next stage of human history /

    E.G. Nadeau and Luc Nadeau

    1. Economic history and conditions

    2. Social history and conditions

    3. Social problems

    4. Social reform

    ISBN 978-0-9980662-0-2

    Printed in the United States of America

    First edition

    The cover design by Luc Nadeau is a symbolic depiction of the history of Homo sapiens.

    Design by Smiling Dog Design

    Contents

    Introduction

    Chapter 1

    Hypothesis

    The cooperative society

    Stages of human history

    Chapter 2

    Measurement

    Measuring transition to the cooperative society

    1. Growth or decline of cooperative businesses

    2. Increasing or decreasing economic power of large, for-profit businesses

    3. Increasing or decreasing inequality in household income and wealth

    4. Greater or fewer deaths from domestic and international conflicts

    5. More or fewer people living in democratic countries

    6. Improving or deteriorating quality of life

    7. Improving or deteriorating environmental conditions

    Cooperative Society Scorecard

    Chapter 3

    Recommendations and Observations

    Becoming a more cooperative society

    1. Grow cooperative businesses

    2. Decrease the economic and political power of large, for-profit businesses

    3. Reduce inequality in household income and wealth

    4. Decrease the number of deaths from domestic and international conflicts

    5. Increase the number of people living in democracies

    6. Improve the quality of life

    7. Improve environmental conditions

    Concluding comments on recommendations and observations

    Conclusion

    Appendix on Cooperative Business Opportunities

    Following is a series of questions that should be explored in order to identify co-op opportunities over the next couple of decades.

    Selected Readings

    Acknowledgements

    The Authors

    Endnotes

    Introduction

    Humans have always cooperated in order to survive – survive despite competition and conflict in our relationships with one another, with other species and with our physical environment. Just look at the bloody trail of wars, violence and oppression that have characterized our relationships with one another throughout recorded history.

    However, we may be on the verge of moving beyond our conflict-filled past toward a society in which cooperation is the predominant way we relate to one another and to our planet. Why? It could be that humans no longer feel compelled to fight over scarce resources, because we now have the means, organizational skills and technology to meet everyone’s basic needs.

    In this book, we present the hypothesis that humans may be on the threshold of a new historical stage, one characterized by cooperation, democracy, the equitable distribution of resources and a sustainable relationship with nature.

    The Cooperative Society is organized in three parts: a description

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