Slide 5 of 10

Progress = Economic & Social Development

• Capacity to work is the capital of the poor and freedom to organize this capital through coops will be a key part of the solution to the problem of poverty.
• Cooperatives = associations of persons who voluntarily join together to meet their economic and social needs through jointly-owned & democratically controlled enterprise
• Coops have the opportunity to make a real difference

Progress = Economic & Social Development

Only recently has it been understood that no progress can be made unless the economic and social aspects of growth are seen as two sides of the same coin. This reality was recognized by cooperatives long time ago because a cooperative is essentially 'an association of persons who voluntarily join together to meet their economic and social needs through a jointly owned and democratically controlled enterprise.' The capacity to work is the capital of the poor. Freedom to organize this capital through cooperatives will be a key part of the solution to the problem of poverty. Without government interference, as was the case in the past, cooperatives have the opportunity to make a real difference.

Comments or questions? Contact the COPAC Coordinator.
Posted: 17 July 2000