This all makes sense but with a caveat: some cooperatives are poorly run and lack a truly cooperative culture, while some companies are well run and have developed quite a cooperative culture. It makes total sense to me that worker ownership, along with some version of social responsibility to the wider community, is the best foundation for cooperation. But the skills required for cooperating can be hard to develop, since most of us were raised in competitive cultures and lots of us have suffered traumas and hardships. Ownership is only part of it. Healing from trauma, and the development of cooperative practices are critical.
On Jul 29, 2013 Dave Belden wrote:
This all makes sense but with a caveat: some cooperatives are poorly run and lack a truly cooperative culture, while some companies are well run and have developed quite a cooperative culture. It makes total sense to me that worker ownership, along with some version of social responsibility to the wider community, is the best foundation for cooperation. But the skills required for cooperating can be hard to develop, since most of us were raised in competitive cultures and lots of us have suffered traumas and hardships. Ownership is only part of it. Healing from trauma, and the development of cooperative practices are critical.