From Corporate Globalization to Global Co-operation: We Owe It to Our Grandchildren

by Tom Webb

Overview

This book is about the need for an alternative to capitalism. But what does that alternative look like? And given the ever-increasing wealth and power of the 1 percent and the fact that corporations are given carte blanche to turn natural resources into profit, is an alternative possible?
Tom Webb argues that a massive shift to social enterprise, primarily co-operatives, is required. More than 250 million people around the world work for co-operatives, and co-operatives impact the lives of three billion people. This model reduces almost every negative impact of capitalism — it is a model that works.
Webb outlines the principles co-operatives need to hold to if they are to be a successful alternative to capitalism and examines the public-policy changes needed to nurture such a transition, but he remains neither wildly optimistic nor unduly pessimistic. A better world is possible, but it is not inevitable.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781552668726
Publisher:	Fernwood Publishing
Publication date:	09/01/2016
Pages:	196
Product dimensions:	6.00(w) x 9.00(h) x 0.50(d)

About the Author

Tom Webb is an adjunct professor at the Sobey School of Business, Saint Mary’s University.

Table of Contents

Acknowledgements 1

Preface: Searching for a Better World 6

Basic Assumptions Underlying Co-operation 7

1 A World of Ominous Uncertainty 11

Interrelated Global Issues 13

Ecological Overshoot 14

Environmental Destruction and Extinctions 14

Destructive Energy Sourcing and Use 15

Climate Change 17

Fresh Water Depletion and Pollution 18

Degradation of the Oceans 19

Destructive Inequality 20

Food Insecurity 24

Urbanization and Slums 26

Corporate Concentration 27

Financialization and Financial Instability 28

Economic Fragility 30

Addiction to Growth 31

Declining Resilience 32

Technology Research for the Few 32

Erosion of Democracy 33

Evolution of Work 34

Interconnected Trends 36

2 Dangerous Myths of Neoclassical Economics 40

The Economics Context 41

Demise of Communism 43

From Moderated Capitalism to Triumphant Capitalism 44

The Invisible Hand 46

The Myth of Free Markets 47

Trickle-Down Theory 49

The Myth of Self-Interest 50

What Is Progress? 51

Growth Does Not Equal Progress 52

Free Trade and the Law of Comparative Advantage 53

The Tragedy of the Commons 55

Simplistic Ideas and Catch Phrases 56

There Is No Alternative, or The End of History 57

The Collapse of Capitalism 59

There Arc Alternatives 60

The Economy and Economics Redefined 62

3 Wealth Driven Business Models and Their Alternatives 66

Investor Owned Firms - A Corrupted Idea 66

Variations on Investor-Owned Firms 74

The Bottom Line for Humanity 75

Family-Owned Businesses 76

Social Enterprises 77

Co-operatives 78

Ecological Perspective 82

A Flexible Model 83

A Viable Business Model 85

4 A Source of Hope 89

Is Co-operation a Viable Alternative? 89

Interdependent Relationships 94

Co-operatives and Altruism 96

Healthy Decision-Making 96

Changing the Nature of Power 97

5 Envisioning a Co-operative Economy 99

Economic Stability 99

Increased Trust and Less Alienation 101

Collaboration and Networking 101

Environmental Responsibility 102

Limited-Growth Economics 103

Equality and Justice 104

Meaningful Work 105

Democracy and Freedom 107

Social Cohesion and Progressive Society 109

Peace and Security 111

Promoting and Sharing Innovation 112

Fair Trade 113

Food Security and Sovereignty 114

Decentralization 115

Sensible Technological Adoption 116

Prudent Use of Resources 117

Meaningful Participation 117

Treatment of People and Nature 118

The Need for a Co-operative Economics 119

6 Co-operative Renewal and Reform 125

Deepening Co-operative Identity 127

Increasing Co-operative Education 129

Rewarding the Environment 131

Developing New Co-operatives 132

Forming Co-operative Capital 133

Using Co-operative Accounting and Reporting 137

Developing More Robust Governance 138

Reducing large Salary Gaps 141

Enhancing International Values and Principles 142

Developing Courageous Vision and Leadership 143

7 Co-operative-Friendly Public Policy 146

Public Policy Benefits 147

Public Policy Needs 148

Fairness Means Appropriate but not Equal 155

8 Dreaming of a Better World 156

There Is an Alternative 158

Challenge and Opportunity for Co-operatives 162

Bibliography 165

Websites of Some Organizations Exploring Economic Alternatives 180

Index 181

Editorial Reviews

The journey this book offers asks the reader to pack two items: A belief that we can build a healthier and more equitable world, and a willingness to be of open mind and heart to drive the innovation and creativity that diverse thinking creates.

Kathy Bardswick

Tom Webb is a passionate visionary and he is surely right in the core claim of this important book, that the world needs co-operation now more than ever.

Edward Mayo

Many voices are calling for wide-ranging changes to our economic, social and political systems. They are driven by concerns about rising inequality, the destruction of nature, and the undermining of democracy resulting from increasing global corporate power. Tom Webb’s important contribution ‘From Corporate Globalization to Global Co-operation’ stands out from the crowd because of his impassioned, informed and inspiring advocacy of the co-operative business model as an essential feature of any successful alternative to the current system of ailing capitalism and its dependence on endless economic growth.

Peter A. Victor

This will be a very useful book for those who want to know about cooperation but also for those inside cooperation who wonder how to fix up the problems that cooperatives sometimes face. We particularly agree on the book’s premise, that cooperation is based on an anthropological assumption that is opposite to that of the mainstream, namely the “innate goodness of people” who practice the “golden rule” of reciprocity. Those people must have appropriate institutions to express that golden rule and not be constrained into egoistic structures.

Dr. Stefano Zamagni and Dr. Vera Negri

A book not to miss. Provocative, radical, incisive Tom Webb never fails to nail the issues.

Dame Pauline Green

At his best as a story teller, Tom Webb delivers a collection of reflections about humanity in disconnect with its economic life. His unwavering trust in people and co-operation come through in every chapter, as does the sorrow in witnessing our civilization melt away at our collective fingertips. A mix between observation and hope, the book is a legacy of a true visionary co-operator who, by stating the obvious, always points out to everything we, humans, take for granted.

Sonja Novkovic

We all know something is fundamentally wrong in our world, wrong in a way that requires a deep transformation in our thinking and behaviour. Tom Webb offers a path to another future, one based on co-operation and respect for the whole of creation. A lovely book.

Maude Barlow

The market system that triumphs over most of the Earth today is a clear danger to the health of many life forms, including human societies. In describing his lifelong commitment to cooperatives as an alternative approach to production, Tom Webb offers hope for movement toward a realistic alternative economic/social system. This books offers practical, experience-based information on how to understand the cooperative movement, and how to help it expand its influence.

Dr. Neva R. Goodwin

This is a book that not only experts, but concerned citizens should read. With outstanding clarity the author shows the enormous degree to which conventional economics is alien to the real world. If economics were a science, economists would behave like scientists. That is; if a theory proves to be wrong, the scientist immediately starts searching for an alternative. This is exactly what conventional economists never do. No matter how disastrous an economic situation may be, the answer is always “more of the same”. Thatcher´s TINA (There is no alternative) is the most dramatic case that has done so much damage to the world. But an additional value of the book is the true alternatives for a New Economy that the author brilliantly offers. After reading the book, one feels that, after all, a better world is possible.

Manfred Max-Neef

Many voices are calling for wide-ranging changes to our economic, social and political systems. They are driven by concerns about rising inequality, the destruction of nature, and the undermining of democracy resulting from increasing global corporate power. Tom Webb’s important contribution ‘From Corporate Globalization to Global Co-operation’ stands out from the crowd because of his impassioned, informed and inspiring advocacy of the co-operative business model as an essential feature of any successful alternative to the current system of ailing capitalism and its dependence on endless economic growth.”

At his best as a story teller, Tom Webb delivers a collection of reflections about humanity in disconnect with its economic life. His unwavering trust in people and co-operation come through in every chapter, as does the sorrow in witnessing our civilization melt away at our collective fingertips. A mix between observation and hope, the book is a legacy of a true visionary co-operator who, by stating the obvious, always points out to everything we, humans, take for granted.”

This is a book that not only experts, but concerned citizens should read. With outstanding clarity the author shows the enormous degree to which conventional economics is alien to the real world. If economics were a science, economists would behave like scientists. That is; if a theory proves to be wrong, the scientist immediately starts searching for an alternative. This is exactly what conventional economists never do. No matter how disastrous an economic situation may be, the answer is always “more of the same”. Thatcheŕs TINA (There is no alternative) is the most dramatic case that has done so much damage to the world. But an additional value of the book is the true alternatives for a New Economy that the author brilliantly offers. After reading the book, one feels that, after all, a better world is possible.

A book not to miss. Provocative, radical, incisive Tom Webb never fails to nail the issues.

This will be a very useful book for those who want to know about cooperation but also for those inside cooperation who wonder how to fix up the problems that cooperatives sometimes face. We particularly agree on the book’s premise, that cooperation is based on an anthropological assumption that is opposite to that of the mainstream, namely the “innate goodness of people” who practice the “golden rule” of reciprocity. Those people must have appropriate institutions to express that golden rule and not be constrained into egoistic structures.

The journey this book offers asks the reader to pack two items: A belief that we can build a healthier and more equitable world, and a willingness to be of open mind and heart to drive the innovation and creativity that diverse thinking creates.

The market system that triumphs over most of the Earth today is a clear danger to the health of many life forms, including human societies. In describing his lifelong commitment to cooperatives as an alternative approach to production, Tom Webb offers hope for movement toward a realistic alternative economic/social system. This books offers practical, experience-based information on how to understand the cooperative movement, and how to help it expand its influence.”

We all know something is fundamentally wrong in our world, wrong in a way that requires a deep transformation in our thinking and behaviour. Tom Webb offers a path to another future, one based on co-operation and respect for the whole of creation. A lovely book.

Tom Webb is a passionate visionary and he is surely right in the core claim of this important book, that the world needs co-operation now more than ever.

From the Publisher