cooperatives

1995 ICA Cooperative Values and Principles Definition           A cooperative is an autonomous association of persons united voluntarily to meet their common economic, social, and cultural needs and aspirations through a jointly owned and democratically controlled enterprise. Values           Cooperatives are based on the values of self help, democracy, equality, equity, and solidarity. Cooperative members believe in the ethical values of honesty , openness, social responsibility, and caring for others. Self Help: Self help is based on the belief that all people can and should strive to control their own destiny. As an individual, one is limited in what one can try to do, what one can achieve. Through joint action and mutual responsibility , one can achieve more, especially by increasing the collective influence in the market and before governments. Democracy: It emphasizes that owne...

1966 ICA principles           After 1937 great changes took place all over the world. After the 2 nd world war, social and political conditions of carious nations changed considerably. Cooperatives had to adapt themselves to this changing conditions.           The 1937 principles were considered as unrealistic and out dated. So there was a necessity to reformulate the principles of cooperation. In October 1964, the ICA appointed a commission to study the principles under the chairmanship Dr.D.G.Karve. The commission submitted its report in 1966, with the following six principles. 1.               Open and voluntary membership 2.               Democratic control 3.               Limited interes...

ICA 1934 Principles The cooperative movement was spread out to various countries like Germany, Denmark, Canada, Sweden, China, Japan, Russia, Israel, India and so on.   The application of Rochdale pioneers’ principles as such in all types of cooperatives became difficult.   Different countries were felt the adoption of the principles of cooperation difficult task.   With the establishment of socialistic state called Russia, the co-operators of the world began to think of cooperatives on ideology ground.   Similarly, advanced technology was influencing the producers and methods of organisation in the cooperatives.   These two factors namely ideological and technological necessitated the co-operators to reformulate the cooperative principles of Rochdale pioneers. In 1934, the International Cooperative Alliance was asked to appoint the special committee to examine and formulate the principles of cooperation.   After a thorough analysis, the committee su...

Principles of Cooperation Meaning           The term principle had its origin from the Latin word ‘principium’. Principium means basis. Therefore principle means the basis. If it is applied to an organisation, principles means ‘a rule of an organisation’. Cooperative principles means ‘a set of rules which govern the life and activity of cooperative organisation’. Evolution of Cooperative Principles           The evolution of cooperative principles is closely related to the evolution of cooperatives.   The evolution of cooperatives dates back to early 19 th century. During this period, economic systems throughout the world, especially in England, had great changes.   The introduction of stream engine and mechanisation of production processes resulted in the industrial revolution.   The factory system came into existence.   The entire society was divided into two cla...

Salient features of Cooperation Introduction The core values and essential characteristics of cooperation constitutes the salient features of cooperation in the broader sense.   These special features of cooperation distinguish it from other forms of organisation. They are as follows: 1. Voluntarism : The first and foremost character of cooperation is voluntarism.   The spirit of cooperation lies on the voluntarism. Voluntarism means an individual is entitled to join or leave an organisation without any compulsion. The decision to join or leave an organisation is purely vested with the individual’s own decision and without the compulsion / coercion from external forces. 2. Commonality : The special features of cooperation is the existence of commonality among its members.   The members who join the cooperation are having common character viz common need t be fulfilled. Common need may be on economic, social, health and other areas.   The main purpose of th...