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3.1 Background of the Manchester Congress
The centenary congress of the International Co-operative Alliance was held in Manchester England in September, 1995. It was the celebration of the 100 years of the founding of the global body. The congress was conceptualised to mark the turning point in the history of co-operative principles. To make the occasion a memorable one, Sven Ake Book, an expert on co-operative affairs was mandated to write a report on co-operative values. The co-operative values put together, constitute the bedrock on which the co-operative principles are erected.
His report was presented to the ICA who asked professor / lan McPherson to lead a team of other leading researchers to revise the 1996 principles. Specifically, the team was asked to work out a set of co-operative principles that would usher in the movement into the 21st century as well as producing a co-operative charter for the millennium.
The report of McPherson was presented to the 1995 Centenary Congress. A debate ensued.
The congress produced after the extensive debate a new list of principles and a formal statement on the co-operative identities composed of three essential elements.
3.2 The Statement on Co-operative Identity
The statement consists of three elements:i a definition of co-operation;
ii a list of the movement key values and iii a list of seven co-operative principles
Definition of a co-operative: A co-operative as is autonomous association of persons united voluntarily to meet their common economic, social and cultural needs and aspirations through a jointly owned and democratically controlled enterprise.
SELF-ASSESSMENT EXERCISE 1
You have got the definition of a co-operative by the International Co-operative Alliance. Is there any fundamental differences between this new
definition and the one (s) you know earlier. State the differences and comment on them .
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These values which we will fully learn in another unit are:
• Self-help
• Democracy
• Equality
• Equity
• Solidarity
• Honesty
• Openness
• Social Responsibility
• Care for Others.
3.4 Co-operative Principles
The co-operative principles are guidelines by which co-operatives put their values into practice. These principles are:
a. Voluntary and Open Membership: Co-operatives which are voluntary organisations are open to persons able to use their services and willing to accept the responsibility of membership, without gender, social, radical, political or religious discrimination.
b. Democratic Member Control: Co-operatives are by their nature democratic organisations controlled by their members who actively take part in setting their policies and taking decisions.
The members who are elected by other members serve as their representatives and are accountable to the general members. And co-operatives generally are organised democratic manner.
c. Member Economic Participation: Co-operative members contribute equitably the capital of the enterprise. The capital is also democratically controlled. Members receive limited compensation, if any, on the capital. At the end of the financial year, the members in the Annual General Meeting also allocate surpluses based on the following guidelines / purposes: to develop their co-operative, to benefit the members in proportion to their transaction with their co-operative, to support other activities approved by the entire members.
d. Autonomy and independence: co-operatives are autonomous and equally self help organisations. If this is the case, the controlling function has to be carried out by members. If they enter into agreement with other organisations including governments or raise capital from external sources, they do so on
83 e. Education, Training and Information: Co-operatives provide education and training for managers and employees. The essence of co-operative education is to make the receptions to perform optimally and to contribute meaningfully to the growth and development of their in their areas. They assist in spreading the benefits that co-operative members stand to gain.
f. Co-operation Among co-operatives: Co-operatives are designed to serve their members effectively. This is achieved by looking into their felt needs and bring out products and services that will satisfy these needs not only for now but for also in the future. In this principles too lies the need for the co-operative movement to evolve strategies where co-operatives co-operate among themselves at the local, national and inter-national levels for the purpose of developing the sectors. The world is new a global village and what happens in one places can be instantly felt in other places. With the advert of computer and similar electronic devise, the sector can avail itself the opportunity to make meaningful use of the facilities for the purpose of co-operating with one another.
g. Concern for the community: Co-operatives are environmental friendly. As a result while looking into the needs of members and bringing out plans, programmes and projects to meet these needs they do not lose the sight of focusing on the environmental needs as well, particularly the immediate communities. They strive to ensure that the environment is not degraded or depleted but to make it better than the way they met it.
h. Co-operators have been effective leaders in their various communities: Through altruistic initiative, they constructed feeder roads, sunk bore holes, provided security and taken sound steps to generally make the environment peaceful and could income for social and economic activities.
SELF-ASSESSMENT EXERCISE 2
You are to go through again the statement on how to identify a co-operative as stated by International Co-co-operative Alliance (ICA). With the thorough understanding of the statement, write in your perception the significance of the identity.
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We have gone through the co-operative statement of Identity by the I.C.A The statement has put to rest the frequent agitation on what should be the principles of co-operation or the identity of co-operatives etc. The statement has shown what operation is, the values of co-operatives and the moral orientation. It has clearly indicated the rules of conduct (principles) for co-operative organisations. The Manchester congress of 1995 has also shown that it is only the ICA in the whole world that can revise co-operative principles which are not absolute for they can be modified from time to time depending on the need.
In our subsequent units we shall be discussing in greater depth the co-operative identity
5.0 SUMMARY
In this unit we have explained the centenary congress of the ICA held in the Manchester, England. We discussed the activities leading to the congress and the importance of the congress.
We have also discussed the statement on co-operative identity and what it contains, definition of a co-operative, the values of co-operative and the co-operative principles.
6.0 TUTOR-MARKED ASSIGNMENT
1. Describe the significance of the co-operative congress held in Manchester, England in 1995.
2. Discuss the contents of the statement on the Co-operative identity.
7.0 REFERENCES/FURTHER READING
Onuoha, E. (1986). Principles of Co-operative Enterprises. Enugu:
Chuka Printing Co. Ltd.
Onuoha, E. & Budden J. J. (2002). Principles of Co-operation. Enugu:
Amazing Grace Printing and Publishing Co. Ltd.
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