Creating Worker Cooperatives

[Revolution 9]

Hey, does anyone here know of any good sites that go over how to create your own worker cooperative? I'm thinking about getting some kind of business degree in college to make it easier for me to be able to set up and help manage such syndicalist organizations.

Thanks for any help in advance.

[chimx]

You could always email existing worker co-ops.

Personally I'm wary of such tactics. Competing against capitalists in the free market strikes me as historically ineffective and a waste of resources.

[jake williams]

You could always email existing worker co-ops.

Personally I'm wary of such tactics. Competing against capitalists in the free market strikes me as historically ineffective and a waste of resources.
I partly agree, but there are probably certain sectors or whatever where it's more plausible than others. There's certainly problems and pitfalls, but it's definitely worth trying. This sort of thing, if it can work, has a lot of value - mostly in consciousness raising, rather than actually changing the whole economy.

I'm more wary about going to business school. I'm pretty sure that you would pretty much hate everyone there, including and maybe especially your profs.

[Revolution 9]

Well, cooperatives face mainly government barriers to entry. However, I was thinking that helping a few cooperatives start and successfully compete would allow for a slow change in the economy. If we can establish a successful "underground economy," I believe that we can change the state of affairs today in a completely bloodless manner, hence the question.

[chimx]

However, I was thinking that helping a few cooperatives start and successfully compete would allow for a slow change in the economy.

Capitalist enterprises maximize profits by exploiting workers. Unless you plan on stooping to their level, than you'll never have an even playing field.

[jake williams]

Capitalist enterprises maximize profits by exploiting workers. Unless you plan on stooping to their level, than you'll never have an even playing field.
Well one possibility - and I don't know if you're comfortable with it, but it's a common strategy and it's better than basically being a more hypocritical capitalist - is to market the fact that you're running a cooperative. There is a market of "socially conscious" rich people who would be willing to buy things at a higher price than the usual market price because they know you're running a cooperative.

[Revolution 9]

Capitalist enterprises maximize profits by exploiting workers. Unless you plan on stooping to their level, than you'll never have an even playing field.

Stooping to what level? I don't see how cooperatives could exploit their own workers, considering that the workers own the means of production (capital and labor).


Well one possibility - and I don't know if you're comfortable with it, but it's a common strategy and it's better than basically being a more hypocritical capitalist - is to market the fact that you're running a cooperative. There is a market of "socially conscious" rich people who would be willing to buy things at a higher price than the usual market price because they know you're running a cooperative.

Haha, yes, I thought about that. Kind of similar to "buy American" but more for wannabe leftists. :blushing:

[bayano]

there are a number of federations and networks of co-ops like

http://www.ica.coop/al-ica/
http://www.usworker.coop/front

usually based on countries and continents. of course, many co-ops aren't affiliated, and probably most in the usa died out. i think co-ops that are connected to anticapitalist movements in some way or another arent awful.

[Schrödinger's Cat]

What state are you in? Laws vary depending on the region. Cooperatives are a reasonable alternative since workers tend to make more without a centralization of wealth - but they have a hard time growing. The incorporation process inevitably turns cooperatives into corporations, and banks refuse to loan money unless you have a plan for turning your company over to the "public" investors.