this post was submitted on 19 Jun 2023
9 points (100.0% liked)

Cooperatives

359 readers
1 users here now

Here is a place for news and information about Cooperatives (Co-ops), Democratic Workplaces, Collectives, Communes, Intentional Communities, Eco-Vilages, etc. This community is the continuation/alternative to r/cooperatives on Reddit.

Regional/National Groups:

US Federation of Worker Cooperatives

Northwest Cooperative Development Center

Network of Bay Area Worker Cooperatives (No Boss)

Worker-Owned and Run Cooperative Network of Greater Boston (Workin')

Valley Alliance of Worker Co-operatives (Vawk) NYC NoWC (Nic-knock)

Federation of Southern Cooperatives

Carolina Common Enterprise

Austin Cooperative Business Association

Tech Co-op Network

Alberta Community & Co-operative Association

Education & Development:

Cultivate.Coop Ed.coop

[Democracy at work](Democracy at work)

[Co-op Law](Co-op Law)

Find.Coop

CoopNetwork

International Co-operative Alliance

[Cooperative Fund of New England]

(https://cooperativefund.org/)

Working World Loan Fund

[Shared Capital, formerly North Country Development Fund](Shared Capital, formerly North Country Development Fund)

California Center for Cooperative Development

University of Wisconsin Center for Cooperatives

Ralph K Morris Foundation

Cooperation Works!

[Democracy at Work Network](Democracy at Work Network)

Fund for Democratic Communities

Sustainable Economies Law Center

(PDF File) A Technology Freelancer's Guide to Starting a Worker Cooperative

Community-Wealth.org

[North American Students of Cooperation](North American Students of Cooperation)

Loomio Cooperative Handbook

News/Blogs:

Co-operative News

Co-operate And No One Gets Hurt

The Company We Keep

Grassroots Economic Organizing

Other Forums/Lists: r/Cooperatives

NOBAWC

WORCN

Tech Co-op List

founded 1 year ago
9
FOSS and Cooperatives - allies? (lemmy.world)
submitted 1 year ago* (last edited 1 year ago) by JackOfAllTraits@lemmy.world to c/cooperatives@lemmy.world
1 comments fedilink hide all child comments
 

I've always considered the movement for the control and common ownership of companies by their workers to be part of the same struggle as the FOSS (Free and Open Source Software) movement.

Both movements share the idea of holding humans over profit. While worker coops still earn money and sell services in a modern capitalist society, they stand against infinite growth of profit and create conditions for eventual degrowth and abolishment of capitalism. FOSS alternatives to popular corporate software and services go a step further by relying on donations only, completely abolishing profit.

I consider these movements natural allies. Since Coops still make money, and often form federations which have some investment capability, I think it would be wise for Coops to recognize the importance of FOSS as a viable alternative to corporate software and a means to decommodify and de-comercialise the Internet. It would be a huge step towards a more humane economy on a global level.

Would you agree?

you are viewing a single comment's thread
view the rest of the comments
[–] Nerandza@lemmy.world 1 points 1 year ago

Freedom and equality for everyone, I agree, because it would potentially pose a threat to big companies (like Microsoft) at some point, and I dont believe they wouldn't try to thwart it.

That's why I think that such a step would require a larger group of people and enlightenment of bigger communities