DEMOCRACY AS THE IDENTITY VALUE OF THE CO-OPERATIVES

Abstract

The paper addresses the need to define an element or value that identifies co?operatives, and at the same time make the difference from other types of enterprise that lead to confusion. Neither capital companies that statue codes of conduct near the co-operative principles, nor social enterprises which pursue purposes as co-operatives do, are co-operatives, but both of them get mixed with co-operatives. On the one hand, the mutual property of co-operatives, perhaps, can explain its different nature, but with nuances. Democracy, however, is configured as the identity value of co-operatives. Thus, democracy shines like a predicable value not only in managing or controlling the co-operative enterprise, but democracy also spreads to all aspects of members’ life in society and the community to which members belong.