Cooperatives Quote by Michael Shuman
““There’s a tendency for those unfamiliar with cooperatives to look down on them as the leftovers of the mainstream economy, implying that if these ideologically driven people simply reorganized themselves into “normal” private companies, they would be more efficient and productive. In fact, just the opposite is true: Cooperatives often enter into economic activities that private businesses will not take on. The most fertile period of cooperative growth was during the Great Depression. Rural electric cooperatives spread across the American plains when it became clear that other investor-owned and municipally owned utilities were uninterested in wiring up sparsely populated regions. Credit unions, as we’ll soon explore, have seen an upsurge during the recent financial crisis.””
About This Quote
Cooperatives thrive where private firms won’t, often during crises, challenging the view they’re less efficient.
In simple terms: Cooperatives fill gaps left by private firms, especially in tough times.
Key Takeaway
Support and recognize cooperative models.
Themes
cooperatives
economics
crisis response
Mood
optimistic
analytical
Type
informative
persuasive
When to use this quote
- rural electrification
- credit union growth
- financial crises
Key Concepts
social enterprise
public good
economic resilience
Questions to Reflect On
- What conditions make cooperatives succeed?
- How can policy encourage cooperative growth?
A Different Perspective
Assuming all cooperatives are ideal can ignore failures.
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