Workers cooperatives

[spartan]

Okay so i know the basics of a workers cooperative and i know that many countries such as Britain in the 70's, India and Venezuela all had/have them.

So i was wondering whether or not workers cooperatives are something that the mainstream Socialist movements want to adopt to better the current Capitalist society for the workers?

Do any mainstream Socialist movements advocate the adoption of workers cooperatives?

Are workers cooperatives, in your opinion, progressive and are something that workers should be fighting for?

[Dimentio]

I feel that there is a lack here on how DWC;s have been operating in different countries and evolved.

[spartan]

I feel that there is a lack here on how DWC;s have been operating in different countries and evolved.
Here in Britain there is a shopping store chain called the Co-op (Cooperative) which used to be a workers cooperative until, due to competition from privatised competitors, it was itself privatised :(

The old British motorcycle brand Triumph was also made a workers cooperative in the 70's by the Labour government as a means of keeping it going against the Japanese motorcycle brands.

I do know that workers cooperatives are very popular in Socialistic Venezuela and are also popular in India which was Socialist friendly.

The way i see it is that workers cooperatives are an easy and non violent way of making a previously privatised industry worker run and thus Socialist.

[Demogorgon]

In principle they are a good idea. Of course there have been various practical difficulties and many have degenerated into capitalist firms. However with the proper safeguards they are an excellent tool for worker self-management

[spartan]

In principle they are a good idea. Of course there have been various practical difficulties and many have degenerated into capitalist firms. However with the proper safeguards they are an excellent tool for worker self-management
Thats what i think as well.

Do you know of any Socialist movements advocating the adoption or use of workers cooperatives?

[Dimentio]

Sweden's second largest retail firm is a consumer-owned cooperative, if that could be interesting to know.

www.coop.se

[Demogorgon]

Originally posted by [email protected] 04, 2007 06:46 pm
Sweden's second largest retail firm is a consumer-owned cooperative, if that could be interesting to know.

www.coop.se
That's a consumer owned co-operative though, of which I am skeptical. I think workers owned co-operatives ar ethe way to go.

As for Spartan, yes various socialist movements do support co-operatives. I know groups like the Scottish Socialist party and so on have some degree of enthusiasm for them.

[Dimentio]

I think a combination is the best.

The problem with worker coops, as experienced in Yugoslavia is that the workers tend to do as the bosses have done, namely increase their own salaries when they feel for it, as well as not hiring additional workers to increase their own wages short-sightedly. That is of course an effect of the price system.

[spartan]

As for Spartan, yes various socialist movements do support co-operatives. I know groups like the Scottish Socialist party and so on have some degree of enthusiasm for them.
Thats good to see.

The good thing about workers cooperatives, IMO, is that they are small safe steps foward towards Socialism which dont appear to antagonise and isolate alot of the Bourgeoisie and Proletariat respectively like other Socialist methods seem to always end up doing.

Plus they are Democratic and Democratically run which is always a good thing IMO.