A case for co-operatives

A CASE FOR CO-OPERATIVES

SWIMMING AGAINST THE TIDE (Part one)  

Redressing the balance of power and giving it back to the community, the working people.

What is the imbalance of power in society?

AI will give you the information that, “it is when certain groups or individuals have disproportionate influence or control over resources, decision-making, and societal structures, leading to inequalities and injustices”.  

This is part one of four articles which looks at the imbalance of power, control over resources, decision making and societal structures.

Disproportionate Influence

Where does this start?

Firstly, we must examine the concept of influence.  The capacity to have an effect on the character, development, or behaviour of someone or something.  The dictionary definition.  

I would argue that influence starts at birth but can also happen later.  

If we are born into the right circumstance, conditions or culture, influence can begin early but, there is an argument that it can also be achieved later.  If conditions change, then influence can become apparent.  For example, someone born into poor conditions could change their circumstance and with this can become more influential.  

So how does influence begin from birth?

https://www.simplypsychology.org/naturevsnurture.html

A child born into a family with wealth would have the nutrients, the healthcare, the warmth, housing and the support of those they live with.  It is made easy due to the wealth and the affordability of resources which would benefit this.  Although there are exceptions to it.  There are poor parents in all social groups.

A child born to parents in poverty would not necessarily have all the nutrients, the healthcare, warmth, housing or support of those they live with.  Those parents may not have the resources they require to keep their child in good health, and the support they need is not available.  Again, there are exceptions to this, especially within racial groups where money is scarce, but this group continue to be able to supply their children with the basics for life.  Also, culture in some cases make this a priority to push the individuals up in society.

Education

When education begins this can be a huge influential factor.  Prestige is important.  Where we are educated is important for influence.  The quality of teaching and the environment in which lessons are delivered is also a contributing factor.  Parental involvement and local authorities will also matter.  Again, it can be argued that wealthy parents will increasingly play a role in their child’s education.  Wealthy parents will want to ensure that schools deliver for their child as they wish them to.  After all, they are paying for it.  They may also want to influence the curriculum and take part in parent/governor meetings. The rich tend to act on more global information.  How it effects prestige and the feedback from the media and power bases.    Whereas parents from poor backgrounds tend to send their child to schools within reach and affordability, and where they think their child will cope or fit in and will be influenced by tables and local reviews.  They also lack social confidence to partake in parent/governor and influencing groups.  Instead, word of mouth and local media groups is a strong indicator of influence amongst comprehensive schools for decision making by parents when they choose their child’s comprehensive education.

https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/why-you-need-word-of-mouth-marketing-how-schools-can-apply-apptegy

Geography

Geography is also a factor.  Those born on council estates will have little in the way of local clubs, meeting places or amenities for social gathering.  Housing may be cheap/and or poor and small. Making study difficult or impossible.  Local areas will also be lacking in green space with less chance for children to explore their environment.  More time may be spent indoors on devices or in volatile or crowded environments.  Wealth can buy the best houses in the best parts of the city, town, village or estates.  They will often be of better quality, bigger in size and in more favourable environments with local amenities but there will be better access to meeting places, clubs and elite groups further afield as there will be less reliance on public transport and more opportunity to attend gatherings. The environments will be less chaotic and less volatile because the conditions are not the same as those who live with poor conditions on council estates.  

https://www.wealthbriefing.com/html/article.php/It%27s-Better-To-Be-Wealthy-And-Healthy-Than-Poor-And-Ill-

Jobs

Through the prestige of educational choice, school and university choice, this can add to the chances of obtaining a job which is secure and pays well.  

The wealthy may have built up connections throughout their lives.  The poor may also have made connections.  However, the wealthy with their connections through where they live and education may have made connections which will see them elevated into jobs which pay well, are secure and have benefits or dividends which they can earn, and which will mean that they will be able to work in sectors which are largely closed to the poor in society.  These jobs can be corporate, in finance or politics or jobs with some prestige and some jobs may be created by the wealthy.  Networks built can aid this.

The poor will have different connections and will often start in manual Labour.  They must achieve extraordinary results to achieve the jobs of the wealthy.  Their jobs often have low wages, and they face instability.  The threat of job losses and financial downturn can lead to more instability.  Health issues can be problematic and lead to sickness and again lead to economic precarity.  The issues of confidence and knowing their worth is also problematic and missed opportunities can be many due to this.  The income gap between the rich and the poor is widening and is worsening inequality.  

https://www.oxfam.org/en/what-we-do/issues/extreme-inequality-and-essential-services

Discrimination

Discrimination disadvantages individuals and can prevent socioeconomic improvements to certain people within society.   Gender discrimination creates a lack of opportunity and pay for women.  There are barriers to progression.  

Racial discrimination can hinder the education, ability to access services and support and have a detrimental effect on individuals to achieve their full potential.

People with children, single parents can also face discrimination.  Benefits and the two-child cap causes poverty and therefore disadvantage to these groups of people.  This can lead to a cycle of deprivation which will be hard to break out of and have a lasting effect on the future of children caught up in it.

Stigmatism is also problematic.  Exclusion can happen because of your family, place, education, employment, politics and faith.

Social Mobility

As discussed, wealth, income, health and education, occupation and access to opportunity can influence the socioeconomic outcomes of an individual, a group or a class of people.  

Social mobility is important.  It is an indicator for the fairness and equality of opportunities within a society.  Discrimination and geography also play an equal part.  It must change or there will be a societal collapse.  We are heading for higher poverty rates, more ill health and a country which will not be able to operate.  Nothing is working, and debt is rising.  Communities are facing collapse.  Filling potholes does not fix broken systems which are no longer reliable or functional. The potholes are a quick fix to make society feel that things are changing, when the reality is, Britain is in decline.

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The next part to this series of four parts is titled, Control over resources.

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Amelia Washbourne

The Robert Owen Society

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