MEANING OF CO-OPERATIVE
The co-operative institution will tell us that the co-operative institution is about people. It’s about a business. It is in line with these assertion that various definitions of this subject have been postulated by some school of thoughts. Whereas some scholars see co-operative or define co-operative as an association of person usually of limited means who have voluntarily joined together to achieve a common Economic goals through the formation of a democratically controlled business organization, making equitable contribution to the capital required and accepting a fair share of the risk and benefits of the undertaking in which the members actively participate.
Other International Co-operative Alliance (I.C.A) compliments with the view that co-operative is an 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.
Furthermore, a co-operative society can be defined as an enterprise formed and directed by association of users applying within itself the rules of democracy and directly intended to save both its own members and the community as a whole.
Finally, according to (Bob-Igwe, 1993:15), he defined Co-operative as a voluntary, evolutionary democratic process resulting from initiative and enterprise at the “grassroots” by individuals motivated by the principle of self -help and mutual aid.
TABLE OF CONTENTS
PREFACE I
ACKNOWLEDGEMENT II
DEDICATION III
COVER PAGE IV
TITLE PAGE V
APPROVAL PAGE VI
Chapter One
Meaning of Co-operative
Co-operative Value
Chapter Two
Principles of Co-operative Business
I.C.A Principles of 1937
Voluntary and Open Membership
Democratic Member Control
Member economic participation
Autonomy and Independence
Education, Training and Information
Co-operation among Co-operatives
Concern for Community
Chapter Three
The Rochdale Pioneers I.C.A
Aim of the I.C.A
I.C.A Membership
Types of membership
1. Collective membership
2. Individual membership
3. Ordinary membership
Rights of members.
Duties of members
Past I.C. A Congresses
Chapter Four
Introduction
Reasons for joining co-operatives
i. Economic motive
ii. Sociological motive
iii. External pressure
Classification and Types of co-operatives
Producer co-operative society/movement.
Chapter Five
i. Findings
ii. Recommendations
iii. Conclusion.