Self-help – the lost freedom

At yesterday’s Plunkett Conference ‘The Right to Try’ we explored the barriers to self-help that frequently impede the development of community-owned enterprises. Weaknesses in the planning system, the lack of proper provisions in many aspects of legislation and the failure of many officials and professionals to recognise the self-help option, were all seen to be part of the problem. However, the biggest barrier to self-help seems to be attitudinal. Self-help should be the first option rather than the last resort.

Freedom of association and the freedom to set up our own organisations to do things for ourselves in co-operation with others were hard won freedoms that we seem to be losing by default. These days it seems most people are convinced that they can’t do anything for themselves. We now rely upon government or big business to meet all our needs and solve all of our problems, even our charities are for the most part beholding to government and corporate patronage. The thought that we can deal with problems and change things by our own efforts hardly ever enters our minds. If we are totally dependent for our survival and well-being upon organisation in which we have no real influence then we are hardly free individuals.

Self-help for the individual becomes increasingly difficult because most of the really significant issues of our time require significant interventions, usually beyond the capacity of the individual. It is only by joining together with others that we are likely to achieve anything. Self-help must be combined with mutual aid. Mutual and co-operative action requires organisation and resources that are not easy to come by so self-help solutions are never the soft option.

If we lose the capacity to help ourselves then we lose an important freedom and we become dependent; it’s only a few short steps from dependency to enslavement.

POVERTY ATTACK

The daily glimpses of the horror of the earthquake in Haiti provided by the TV coverage brings home to us not only the tragedy caused by the quake but the grotesque levels of poverty in this most unfortunate country. Whilst the earthquake was hardly preventable the pre-existing conditions of extreme poverty most certainly are.

The fact that we seem incapable of making any real impact upon world poverty is a clear indictment of the political systems in the rich countries of the world. Benny Dembitzer, in his recent book ‘The Attack on World Poverty’ catalogues the causes of our failure to make any significant impact in terms of solving the problems of the poorest peoples of the world. He outlines the weaknesses in our aid delivery systems, where often ‘the aid industry’ only succeeds in making matters worse for them, and advocates a range of measures that could be the basis of a solution.

High on the list of reforms required is the need to address poverty at the local level, albeit with international support, and to encourage self-help initiatives. He also envisages a much more significant role for co-operatives in many situations, however, it is telling that he accepts the popular perception that in the western world they appear to be a spent force.
*For more information see www.ethical-events.org/book.htm

Changing the future often starts by understanding the past

I believe that history is a catalyst for understanding what needs to be done to prepare for the future. So I am delighted that Dr Rita Rhodes (Visiting Research Associate, Co-operatives Research Unit, Open University, United Kingdom) has now provided us with a short (30 pages) research paper entitled: ‘BRITISH CO-OPERATIVE HISTORY’. This is the product of her research originally undertaken as a contribution to the Swedish Project preparing - ‘A GLOBAL HISTORY OF THE CO-OPERATIVE MOVEMENT’ and presented at a workshop in Stockholm, November 2009. The paper includes a brief introduction to the topic and sections dealing with - the Pre-Rochdale Co-operative Movement, the Practices of the Rochdale Society of Equitable Pioneers, Britain’s Rochdale Co-operative Movement, Consumer versus producer co-operation, Co-operative development within the British Empire and British co-operation post 1945.

I regard this paper as essential reading for anyone that wishes to gain a clear understanding of British Co-operative history without having to wade through countless eminent tomes, which are not to be dismissed if you can allocate the time. Perhaps this paper will provide the spark to ignite a deeper interest in the topic but it should at least give you the basics.

Rita Rhodes has kindly agreed to make her BRITISH CO-OPERATIVE HISTORY accessible as a free PDF download, which is now available on www.co-oppundit.org