The Cooperative Socialism Movement Under The New Situation: Is It Possible? How Sustainable?

Cooperatives as an idea, an ethos or a movement swept the world in past about 160 years since the Rochdale Society of Equitable Pioneers from Britain in 1844. All market economy dominant agriculture exist the farmer cooperatives organizations which has been the irreplaceable important force in rural socio-economic development in the world today, whether the developed countries or the developing countries. Farmer cooperative organizations have arisen quietly in rural areas in China since 1980's and has been developing quickly. Cooperative organizations, especially its institutional characteristics and organizational purport are confronted with unprecedented challenges in the environment of increasingly marketization and globalization. The obvious phenomena of alienation appeared.This thesis discusses cooperatives and cooperative socialism which as an ethos with the methods of literature and multiple case analysis, and using the theory of Marxian cooperatives and theory of modern cooperative economics.Based in the distinct pectination of ethos' history and the practical puzzledom of cooperative socialism, the thesis briefly dissertate of the "alienation" which is a new problem of cooperative socialism movement.This thesis emphatically analyzes eight representative cases well-collected in first stage which come from Europe, North America, China and other countries in Asia.In the end, this thesis attempts to put up conclusive trends judgments of cooperative socialism movement and relative revelations. The thesis point out:firstly, as long as the existence of have-nots or developing countries, cooperatives still have its development space without question and cooperative socialism will still have social influence. Secondly, along with the general trends of the world, there be few people fondly deem highly of cooperative socialism and the influence of cooperative socialism ethos lessening gradually. In other words, the cooperative socialism ethos hardly sustain in all-around society. Thirdly, the international cooperative movements will reform continually and cooperatives will loosen its pro-poverty ceaselessly. Finally, the international cooperative movements will modify and loosen the cooperative principles continually, whereas it not means will abandon the principles by no means.