Why the cooperative model is a revolution | Melanie Shellito | TEDxIWU

Summary

The story of the Rochdale Pioneers in 1844, a group of working-class individuals who created a cooperative store to fight economic injustice, ignites the modern cooperative movement. The speaker shares their personal journey to understanding cooperatives as a tool for social justice, food security, and community empowerment. Through examples of successful cooperatives across the U.S., the video illustrates how these businesses build local economies, provide fair wages, and create social change. It calls for individuals to shift their mindset, recognizing that every purchase is a vote for the kind of economy they want to support, emphasizing the power of cooperative ownership in shaping a fairer future.

Takeaways

• 😀 The co-operative movement began in 1844 in Rochdale, England, with a group of workers who created a store to combat exploitation by factory owners and improve their community's economic conditions.
• 😀 The Rochdale pioneers started their co-operative with just four basic products: butter, sugar, flour, and oatmeal, but their principles of democracy, equality, honesty, and autonomy laid the foundation for the global co-operative movement.
• 😀 The co-operative model empowers people by giving them ownership and a voice in decision-making, unlike traditional businesses where only a few wealthy individuals control everything.
• 😀 Co-operatives have expanded worldwide, with over 1 billion people involved in co-ops, highlighting their global impact on economic justice and community empowerment.
• 😀 Communities like Springfield, Massachusetts, have used co-operatives to provide good jobs, vital services, and economic stability, creating a model of a local economy that benefits residents over profit-driven corporations.
• 😀 In Worcester, Massachusetts, co-operatives are addressing local needs by creating businesses such as landscaping, honey production, and soil remediation, showing how co-ops can thrive in diverse sectors.
• 😀 Jackson, Mississippi, is using co-operatives to combat poverty, offering worker-owned businesses that provide opportunities for marginalized residents, demonstrating how this model can transform under-resourced communities.
• 😀 The co-operative model allows for collective ownership of economic resources, helping communities build wealth and social capital while offering a more just and inclusive way of doing business.
• 😀 Co-operatives offer an alternative to the for-profit economy, showing that local economies can be resilient and sustainable without relying on multinational corporations or Wall Street.
• 😀 The speaker urges people to change their mindset about consumption, reminding us that every purchase is a vote with our dollars, and supporting co-operatives means voting for democracy, fairness, and social justice.
• 😀 To achieve real change, individuals must actively participate in co-operatives and support businesses that reflect their values, as passive consumption only perpetuates the inequalities in the current system.

Q & A

What was the significance of the lamp in the window at 31 Toad Lane, Rochdale?

The lamp in the window symbolized the opening of the first successful cooperative store in Rochdale, England, in 1844. It marked the beginning of the modern cooperative movement, where a group of laborers pooled their resources to create a fair business model that benefited both workers and consumers.

What challenges did the poor face in 19th century England that led to the formation of cooperatives?

The poor in 19th century England faced extremely low wages, often paid in company chits that could only be spent at overpriced, low-quality company-owned stores. This created a cycle of poverty, as workers spent their wages on goods that ultimately benefited the factory owners, with little opportunity for economic mobility.

What were the core principles developed by the Rochdale Pioneers for their cooperative model?

The core principles developed by the Rochdale Pioneers included democracy, autonomy, equality, and honesty. These principles ensured that the cooperative was run by its members, with decisions made collectively, and it also emphasized fair treatment and transparency in business operations.

How did the success of the Rochdale Pioneers influence the global cooperative movement?

The Rochdale Pioneers' success proved that a cooperative business model could work. Their principles laid the foundation for the modern cooperative movement, inspiring similar efforts worldwide and contributing to the creation of thousands of cooperatives that today support over a billion people globally.

What personal experience did the speaker share to explain their involvement with cooperatives?

The speaker shared their personal experience of being diagnosed with multiple sclerosis while caring for a newborn in 2006. In searching for ways to improve their health, they learned about the power of food and eventually became involved in starting a local food cooperative, motivated by the need to support local farmers and promote healthy, sustainable food practices.

How did food cooperatives help solve the challenges faced by local farmers and consumers?

Food cooperatives help by providing farmers with fair pay for their produce, allowing them to sustain their businesses. Consumers benefit by having access to fresh, locally-grown, and often organic food. These co-ops also promote community-building by giving members a voice in how the cooperative is run.

What is the role of cooperatives in addressing social justice issues?

Cooperatives address social justice by empowering marginalized communities to take control of their economic resources. They provide good jobs, offer fair wages, and help build community wealth. For instance, cooperatives in Springfield, Massachusetts, and Jackson, Mississippi, are improving economic opportunities and addressing poverty in their communities.

How do cooperatives contribute to the local economy and community development?

Cooperatives contribute to the local economy by keeping money circulating within the community. They offer jobs, provide services, and create networks of businesses that work together to meet local needs. By supporting local economies, cooperatives also reduce dependency on outside corporate interests, fostering a more sustainable and resilient local economy.

What mindset shifts does the speaker suggest are necessary for fostering the growth of cooperatives?

The speaker suggests three key mindset shifts: 1) Recognizing that cooperatives can exist alongside the for-profit economy, 2) Understanding that consumer spending is a form of voting for values, and 3) Moving away from passive consumption to active participation in shaping the economy through support for co-ops.

What are the broader societal benefits of supporting cooperatives, according to the speaker?

Supporting cooperatives promotes a range of societal benefits, including economic stability, food security, racial equality, and social justice. Cooperatives create communities where people have ownership, a stake in their own futures, and the opportunity to build a fairer, more just society.