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Towards an International People-Centred Economy: Co-operative Perspectives . BY IAN MACPHERSON CO-DIRECTOR THE NATIONAL HUB CANADIAN SOCIAL ECONOMY RESEARCH PARTNERSHIPS UNIVERSITY OF VICTORIA CLUNY1@UVIC.CA . The Challenges.
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Towards anInternational People-Centred Economy: Co-operative Perspectives BY IAN MACPHERSON CO-DIRECTOR THE NATIONAL HUB CANADIAN SOCIAL ECONOMY RESEARCH PARTNERSHIPS UNIVERSITY OF VICTORIA CLUNY1@UVIC.CA
The Challenges • Limited research into, and focussed thought on, the theme of co-operatives and internationalisation • Work in the 1950s • Johnston Birchall, The International Co-operative Movement (Manchester: University of Manchester, 1995) • The complexities of co-operative history • The institutional challenges • Significance for Co-operative Studies
The Inheritance • Human beings—competitive or co-operative? • The Enlightenment and internationalism • Robert Owen and the Association of all Classes of all Nations (1835) • The internationalism of national movements • The tensions of type and nationality • The formation of the International Co-operative Alliance (1895)
The Limitations of the Twentieth Century • National priorities • The complexities of imperialisms • The problems of casual friends • The Soviet issue • Contested terrains • War and Peace • The complexities of Independence movements • The “victory” of the market
The International Movement Today • 1,000,000,000 members • Serve 3 billion people (UN) • 300+ kinds of co-ops • Top 300 employ 20% more than multi-nationals • Some setbacks but generally very positive situations around the world • Increasing importance in Global South • Importance in financial industries, food and energy production, social services,
The Possibilities of the 21st Century • Market crises • Environmental issues • Community and youth concerns • Revitalisation of some larger co-ops • Growth of international co-ops: insurance, Mondragon, European Common Market • New co-ops: Fair Trade, organic foods, social co-ops, energy co-ops, etc. • 2012: UN Year of Co-operatives
Underlying Challenges • Knowledge: studied, understood and results systematically compiled and made readily available • Limited impact in the public square • Threats of demutualisation • Prevailing ideologies • Relationship with like organisations, especially in the Social Economy but also in government relations and with private sector