Dispelling the Myths and Inspiring the Vision

>>> Increase public awareness about cooperatives and their contributions to socioeconomic development >>> Promote the formation and growth of co-operatives among individuals and institutions to address common economic needs and for socio-economic empowerment >>> Encourage Governments and regulatory bodies to establish policies, laws and regulation conducive to co-operative formation and growth.

A Collective?

MAYBE

A group of entities that share, or are motivated by, at least one common issue or interest, or work together on a specific project(s) to achieve a common objective. Not necessarily focused upon an economic benefit or saving (i.e. activists collective, sports team, hobby club)

A Collective?

Maybe.
A Commune? MAYBE.

An intentional community of people living together, sharing common interests and values, property, possessions, resources, and, in some cases, work and income.

A commune may be legally organized as a cooperative.

A Collective?

Maybe.
A Commune?

Socialism is not a political system. It is an economic system for distributing goods and services. Can co-exist within a capitalist market or economy, and within a democratic political system. Based on the principle that the means of producing goods and providing services such as all factories and companies should be owned publicly and controlled and planned by a centralized organization rather than being controlled by members of a small class of wealthy people.

Socialism?

Maybe. YES.

A Collective?

Maybe.
A Commune?

A political system that espouses socialism and puts its control into the hands of a few the government. Cannot co-exist in a capitalist market or economy.

Socialism? Communism?

Maybe. Yes. NO.

Based on the principle that the means of producing goods and providing services such as all factories and companies should be owned publicly and controlled and planned by a centralized organization rather than being controlled by members of a small class of wealthy people.
No private capitol ownership, complete collective ownership of all capitol by the state.

A Collective?

Maybe.
A Commune? Maybe. Socialism? Yes. Communism? No. Legal Business Entity? YES.

A corporation with perpetual life, limited liability, and controlled by a Board of Directors elected by its members.

Has certain structural characteristics and guiding principles that set it apart from other corporations.
The biggest difference being that a cooperative is member-oriented rather than investor-oriented.

A co-operative is an autonomous association of persons united voluntarily to meet their common economic, social, and cultural needs and aspirations through a jointly-owned and democratically-controlled enterprise. Operated according to values of
o self-help,
o self-responsibility,

o democracy, equality,
o equity and

o solidarity.

Values are put into action through a set of 7 principles.

1st Principle: Voluntary and Open Membership 2nd Principle: Democratic Member Control 3rd Principle: Member Economic Participation 4th Principle: Autonomy and Independence 5th Principle: Education, Training, and Information 6th Principle: Cooperation among Cooperatives

7th Principle: Concern for Community

Beginning of the modern Cooperative movement coincides with period of industrial and agricultural revolutions. Period of invention ushered in factory production, and a reduction in home-based production as the mass production outpaced and undersold cottage industry production. Small farmers were driven from their land due to land estate enclosures and aggregation accompanying modernized cultivation and livestock grazing systems. Widespread poverty, unemployment, and general social deterioration followed in the wake.

The Rochdale Society of Equitable Pioneers 1844

..Known for providing high quality, unadulterated goods.

Quality Co-op For-profit Run their business in trustworthy manner 76% 61% Have the best interests of customer in mind 74% 52% Committed to providing highest quality service 77% 64% Provide products that are of high value 75% 70% Can be counted on to meet customers need 79% 67% Offer fair, competitive prices 77% 70%
National Cooperative Business Association (NCBA) and Consumer Federation of America (CFA) April 19, 2012

Worldwide, nearly one billion people are cooperative member-owners and at least 100 million of them are employed by co-ops. In America, around 30,000 cooperatives exist, with nearly 900,000 members.

93 million credit union member-owners control $920 billion in assets.

Agriculture
o Production o Marketing

Consumer

Service
o Finance o Utilities o Housing o Insurance

Worker
o

~ 300 democratic workplaces in the United States, employing over 3,500 people and generating over $400 million in annual revenues.

I. Identifying an opportunity II. Building consensus on potential for cooperative III. Developing trust among potential members IV. Securing member commitment

V. Involving other stakeholders VI. Starting up the cooperative

The Evergreen Model United States Steelworkers and Mondragon National Cooperative Development Act of 2011