Resources on Democratic, Participatory, and Equitable Enterprises

Cooperatives (General):

Readings:

New Internationalist Magazine, Issue
#368: "Bite Back! The Return of the Co-op". www.newint.org.

Thompson, David J. (1994). Weavers of Dreams: Founders of the Modern Cooperative Movement. University of California Center for Cooperatives.

Organizations:

International Cooperative Alliance, Geneva, Switzerland, www.ica.coop.

National Co-op Business Association, Washington, DC, www.ncba.org.

Worker Co-ops:

Readings:

Adams, Frank T., & Gary B. Hansen (1987). Putting Democracy to Work: A Practical Guide for Starting and Managing Worker-Owned Businesses. Berrett-Koehler Publishers.

GEO: The Newsletter for Democratic Workplaces & Globalization from Below. Riverdale, MD, www.geo.coop

Krimerman, Len, ed. (1992). From the Ground Up: Essays on Grassroots & Workplace Democracy. South End Press.

Whyte & Whyte, William & Kathleen (1988). Making Mondragon: The Growth & Dynamics of the Worker Cooperative Complex. ILR Press.

Organizations:

US Federation of Worker Co-ops, www.usworkercoop.org.

Examples:

Equal Exchange, West Bridgewater, MA, www.equalexchange.com. A worker-owned Fair Trade Organization.

Mondragon, www.mondragon. mcc.es.

Scott Bader Commonwealth, www.scottbader.com.

Investing in Alternatives:

Organizations:

National Federation of Community Development Credit Unions, http://www.natfed.org/i4a/pages/index.cfm?pageid=1

Cooperative Fund of New England, Amherst, MA, www.coopfund.coop, A loan fund that supports cooperative and democratically owned or managed enterprises.

Local Enterprise Assistance Fund, Brookline, MA, www.leaffund.org. Provides financing to community-based and employee-owned businesses.

Local Currencies:

Readings:

Greco, Thomas H., Jr. (2001). Money: Understanding & Creating Alternatives to Legal Tender. White River Junction, VT: Chelsea Green Publishing.

Organizations:

E.F. Schumacher Society. Great Barrington, MA, www.smallisbeautiful.org. Resources on local economies, land trusts, and economic democracy.

Examples:

Valley Trade Connection. Greenfield, MA 01301, www.valleydollars.org.

Fair Trade:

Readings:

Ericson, Rose Benz (1999). "The Conscious Consumer: Promoting Economic Justice Through Fair Trade," in Global Backlash: Citizen Initiatives for a Just World Economy, Robin Broad, ed.

Organizations:

International Fair Trade Association, The global association of Fair Trade Organizations, www.ifat.org

Fair Trade Federation. The national association of Fair Trade businesses, www.fairtradefederation.org

Examples:

Equal Exchange, See contact info under "worker co-ops."

Ten Thousand Villages, Akron, PA, www.tenthousandvillages.org.

Intentional Communities:

Organizations:

Co-Housing Association of the US, Boulder, CO, www.cohousing.org.

Fellowship for Intentional Community, Rutledge, MO, www.ic.org.

Global Ecovillage Network. The Global Ecovillage Network is a global confederation of people and communities dedicated to restoring the land and living "sustainable plus" lives, http://gen.ecovillage.org.

Examples:

Ecovillage at Ithaca, 104 Rachel Carson Way, Ithaca, NY 14850. Web: www.ecovillage.ithaca.ny.us.

Food Co-ops:

Organizations:

Co-op Grocer, http://www.cooperativegrocer.coop/.

Robyn Van En Center, Wilson College, Chambersburg, PA. A resource center for Community Supported Agriculture, www.csacenter.org

Friends Testimonies & Economic Alternatives

Readings:

Bruyn, Severyn (1980). Quaker Testimonies & Economic Alternatives, Pendle Hill Pamphlet 231. Wallingford, PA.

Crowell, Erbin (2005). "Friends' Economic Witness & Sustainable Commerce," Quaker Eco-Bulletin, Vol. 5, No. 3, May-June 2005.

Quakers & Business Group (2000). Good Business: Ethics at Work. London, England: Quakers & Business Group.

Schumacher, E.F. (1973). Small is Beautiful: Economics as if People Mattered. Point Roberts, WA: Hartley & Marks; pp. 230-247.

Woolman, John (1793, 2001); A Plea for the Poor; or A Word of Remembrance & Caution to the Rich, Pendle Hill Pamphlet 357.