I have been a friend to booksellers over the last weeks, reading everything that I can on the case for co-operation.
I have had lots of suggestions, including some rather dusty and wonderful presents of historical texts on the co-operative sector. I went to see David Halpern recently – now at the Institute of Government and the closest we get here to a UK Robert Putnam – who commended David Willett’s Oakeshott lecture, for example.
I don’t need books as presents, but if you have recommendations or urls that I should look at, do let me know!
Apparently the play ‘Fair Trade’ about the history of the co-op movement is very good and may give you a little light relief from all that reading! Google the Mikron Theatre Co. for more details.
Comment by LB — 5 October, 2009 @ 5:45 pm |
play looks just great -one to track down. thanks so much
ed
Comment by edmayo — 7 October, 2009 @ 8:20 pm |
Ed, Mr two brains is interesting, but the philosophical text that persuaded me about co-operation (age 17) was Michael Kropotkin’s ‘Mutual Aid: A Factor of Evolution’. Haven’t read it for 34 years, so no recommendation as such!
If you’re looking for texts that make a brilliant case for contemporary co-operativism in one vital area of the economy, have you seen David Rogers’ pamphlet ‘New Foundations: Unlocking the Potential for Affordable Homes’? Downloadable at http://bit.ly/p5Pbs
Comment by Scumboni — 6 October, 2009 @ 5:14 pm |
- or Peter Kropotkin, even …
Comment by Scumboni — 6 October, 2009 @ 5:25 pm |
Thank you! Both I have – David, who is a star, gave me a copy direct – can’t say the same for Prince Kropotkin, but it was lovely to re-read. There is lots now in the space of evolutionary biology – just finished Frans de Waal on empathy and reciprocity in the natural world. Why monkeys are natural co-operators…fair trade bananas anyone?
ed
Comment by edmayo — 7 October, 2009 @ 8:24 pm |
I must re-read, or rather properly read, Mutual Aid too. And i’ll enjoy investigating Frans de Waal – thanks.
It is not explicitly a book about the case co-operation, but i’m currently reading, ‘How Can I Help?’ by Ram Dass and Paul Gorman. It wonderfully expresses what you could call – the personal case for co-operation, especially when we might be on the edge of burn out or competing for that gov.contract, or finding things tough.Lovely chapter on social action.
Muhammad Yunus’ book, Creating a World Without Poverty, has a short passage on the emergence of the co-opeartive movement in the UK and the case *against* the movement – which made me think.
Comment by martin cooper — 9 October, 2009 @ 10:36 am |
Muhammad Yunus’ book, Creating a World Without Poverty, doesn’t really make a case *against* the movement. Apparently I’ve still not posted my review of it on my site. It will appear there in the next couple of days.
Comment by MJ Ray — 5 November, 2009 @ 1:43 pm |
Review is now up at http://www.news.software.coop/book-review-creating-a-world-without-poverty/812/ – thanks for the reminder.
Comment by MJ Ray — 9 November, 2009 @ 10:51 am |