Ask Prof Wolff: The Short, Strong Case for Worker Co-ops

A Patron of Economic Update asks: "I am interested in learning about worker co-ops and I want to know what are some of the problems that worker co-ops aim to fix and are there any ways that it can be more efficient or profitable than a capitalist owned business?"

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[bobstone]

Prof Wolff. Pleas give Worker Co-ops advice to the farmers in India.this is a solution to huge economic crisis.

[mauibill]

In the 90's, I worked at a start up hospital in Irvine California. They had a unique management system called "Shared Leadership"
Basically, there were only two types of employees. Associates and Specialists, which included doctors, by the way. Each department had a leadership position which rotated among the associates or specialists. I liked the idea initially but ultimately I didn't really understand how close to a co-op it was or even what a co-op is. It is a half step toward that ideal. If they had only compensated us with ownership shares, I think it would have worked. Unfortunately, capitalists took over the hospital and it was just downhill from there.
Cheers

[barquerojuancarlos]

I just realized we contribute to Patron not just for ourselves but for our community. We contribute to those whose words we want to preserve and for others to hear. Thanks, Professor Wolff

[mm-rjvo]

Real democracy. Real consent. Real consensus.

[mourningstar]

I see you're aligning the stars. I appreciate that.

[LordKorgyab]

Worker co-ops for all is democracy for all. It should be obvious to everyone that if a worker "has ownership" of the work they are doing they are doing that work with greater pride and dedication.

[gauravgoswami]

Worker co operative is the best economic model on Earth.

[ricbrunner]

Yes the co op is the way to go. And this idea can work well in other organizations. I felt this since I first learns of it in high school. Now the question is how do we implement it throughout the country. How do the individuals get the capital develop the ideas. It sounds great it would change the world but where do we

[josejopez]

I love the perspective here. I'm a red meat eating, Trump voting, registered Republican. Worker co-ops make perfect sense to me.

[scottluthy]

Real democracy means worker cooperatives in the workplace. The profits are shared amongst all the employees in an equitable way. All employees have skin in the game. No CEO or board of directors and therefore it cuts these people out completely.

[DualTasticToday]

We love you Rick and Harriet. Well said my brother. I love co-op s. A co op is a major improvement over corporate although shareholders have votes depending how it is setup and how many shares you have..

[Exaris]

Prof Wolff: Can you analyze Primerica as a hybrid Corporation/Coop Enterprise. It's already a hybrid Agency/Franchise system. It's supposed to be a Personal Development Program with a great compensation system. I suggest you search more information about Art Williams who originally founded AL Williams which later became Primerica.

[hhheee]

I was rewatching the Moyer's and company episode prof wolf was on from seven years ago titled" what has capitalism done for us lately" and that episode could have been recorded today as it is just as relevant today as it was then. Just shows nothing changes. Maybe this time is different?

[theresamcmullen]

Pride of ownership !!! “ I can offer you this, and yes it’s personal. “

[MathUDX]

Richard, I notice you frequently describe *electing* managers and such in worker cooperatives. But is that the only way to do it? I wonder if you've ever considered or even come across worker coops that use *sortition* systems--that is, random lots--to select people for managerial positions. As Aristotle pointed out in his Politics treatise, elections were considered to be oligarchical in nature by the people who actually invented democracy because they naturally tend to select for the better offs even before any sort of ballots are cast.

[petestanton]

I hope Pete Townshend has already gifted her the deluxe remaster of Live At Leeds CD w the song Young Man Blues by American jazz piano legend Mose Allison. Learn it, live it, love it.

[alfredloomis]

there were co-ops in the 30's, uncle worked on one, but there is a reason they are few and small nowadays. wonder what it is...

[anthonywaterhousr]

It would help if there were talks and interviews on how to set up democratic enterprises, the know how, skills required, types of sufficient and adequate products. Getting an enterprise off the ground needs considerable effort and initiative, cases studies will be informative. . Finance based on capital working for workers and their community a necessary but not sufficient requirement. This process is liable to be one of trial and error, to build up the principles and viable practice of cooperative enterprises of whatever type, within the world we live in, but beating a path to a doable beyond capitalism that upholds commons and liberty. Thank you for your work.

[rhorizon]

Prof, can you make a video specifically on the Taft–Hartley Act and its disasterous impact?

[JeffPenaify]

I support co ops but my only criticism is what happens when capitalists buy out the co ops? The mass of workers are more likely to vote for checks than try to keep the co OP going