The Cooperativist Manifesto

10. WORK AND LEISURE IN A COOPERATIVIST SOCIETY

Our society has allowed financial and proprietary rights to prevail over the basic human rights of our citizens because we have elevated work to a virtue rather than a necessity. In order to collectively assert our economic freedom, we must distinguish between the function of work and the pursuit of leisure.

This manifesto has attempted to explain the benefits of reforming commercial laws, tax rules and business arrangements in a manner that fulfills the objectives and spirit of cooperativism. Modern societies need to address the misappropriation of the benefits derived from the ownership and use of property in order to move closer to the goal of widespread economic prosperity. Working relationships are fundamentally important elements of a just and productive society.

Economic justice demands that societies recognize the value of leisure as a complement to work. Western norms and institutions are built upon a Puritan work ethic that correlate quality of life with the productivity of work. Leisure is frequently perceived as idleness, play, amusement, relaxation and other non-productive adventures.

The commodity of leisure has social value. If leisure simply consisted of play and rest, then admittedly no one other than a child or a childish adult would consider leisure as valuable as economically productive labour. However, the reality is that modern societies have been enhanced by the innovative and creative furtherance of liberal arts, scientific research, academic writings, spiritual thought, philosophical teachings, and technological inventions, to name only a few exploits of leisure time. Leisure represents the ultimate expression of free will and the mode by which human beings advance virtue and civilization.

Economic justice demands that leisure, not toil, and general affluence, not elitist wealth, be the ultimate objectives of our system of social orders and laws. The Internet encourages the development of global markets. Improved access to consumer information, price competition and foreign markets increases the sophistication and integration of decision-making for both production and consumption activities. Once we recognize and articulate the relative significance of leisure activities within a global society, it will be easier to move away from the cycle of unbridled regional materialism towards the goal of sustainable economic development.

Cooperativism promises to spur economic growth while infusing society with the spirit of economic justice. The success and popularity of ESOPs in the United States demonstrates that labourers can earn from ownership as well as from work. Employee share ownership represents a positive step towards the ideal of widespread cooperative arrangements. Cooperatives will facilitate the attainment of a prosperous global economy.