Attitude Quote by Gar Alperovitz
“Worker-owned co-ops, on their own, floating in the market, tend to replicate the behavior of worker-owned capitalists in some circumstances. They sometimes develop positive participatory schemes, sometimes not. We know from the studies of worker-owned plywood companies in the US, they can tend to develop conservative attitudes, not socialist attitudes. So even though I'm an advocate of further democratization of the workplace, we also need to be building larger structures.”
About This Quote
Source Article: "Worker Co-ops and the Limits of Democracy", 2015
Worker co-ops often mimic capitalist behavior and may become conservative, showing that small-scale democracy isn’t enough without larger supportive structures.
In simple terms: Co-ops can become like traditional firms.
Key Takeaway
Build broader democratic frameworks.
Themes
economics
democracy
cooperatives
Mood
critical
analytical
Type
political
economic
When to use this quote
- business strategy
- policy design
- community organizing
Key Concepts
social theory
political economy
organizational behavior
Questions to Reflect On
- What larger structures can support genuine workplace democracy?
- How can co-ops retain progressive values?
A Different Perspective
Co-ops alone may not shift systemic attitudes.
