Cooperative Capitalism
Cooperative Capitalism
Noreena Hertz
I recently read an article – Noreena Hertz: A Post-luxe era needs Co-op Capitalism, “the world desperately needs a new form of Capitalism”, she writes. She says we are living in “Gucci Capitalism, because we overvalue status and undervalue equity”. In Co-operative Capitalism, she talks about how “in evolutionary biology we see that learning from others and sharing information is the key to human success”. She also gives an example, “take the rapid rise of the global “freecycle” movement, whose members give stuff away rather than sell their goods on eBay, or the rise of Zipcar, which allows people to share cars.” Zipcar, Airbnb, Skillshare, Task Rabbit, Zaarly, Kodesk, GetAround, Book Mooch, are a few many examples of for-profit capitalistic businesses, requiring sharing and co-operative principles to be successful. Granted these businesses are not rooted in all 7 co-operative principles but “some is better then none”, in my opinion. These services, like Co-operatives, look to serve their members, and cooperation among members is the how the business measures success and stock value is created.
Collaborative Consumption
I am an Airbnb member, and if my membership was not voluntary and open, and if Airbnb had no concern for community, I would not be a member. As a member I make money, and meet cool members from all over the world. And though I do not have a vote, and the organization is not owned by the members – that does not mean I don’t have a voice, and that I can’t choose to have ownership, when it is available. I would also be willing to offer, just because the company is owned by investors and will potentially go public someday, that does not mean Airbnb does not have the members best interests in mind.
Co-op Capitalism
I am not suggesting that one form of business replace another form of business, such that we replace Ccorps, with Co-ops. I am simply saying – support each other in what you have in common, rather than wrestling with what you don’t.
Cooperative Capitalism
It seems the co-operative movement can be resistant to the word Capitalism. Unfortunately this business model has been so grossly misused that, it has a lot of negative examples attached to it. I do not see co-operatives as good or evil, nor do I see capitalism as good or evil. Just like I don’t see money as good or evil, they simply are, and it is up to you to decide what you do with it. I think when we often talk about capitalism, we look at examples of where “big business” has screwed over people, the environment, and society, as there are plenty examples of this, but what about all of those small businesses – be it an LLC, Scorp, Bcorp, or Triple Bottom line business that uses co-op principles to be successful in their for-profit capitalistic ventures. I think sometimes the co-operative movement wrestles with capitalism as the enemy, rather than using co-op principles to work with the movement of capitalism, as we look to use this as a catalyst to grow the Cooperative Movement.
Submitted by Kenny Bavoso of Coop.org
