Book of the Day: The Mutual Ownership Revolution That Britain Needs

* Book: Making It Mutual. The ownership revolution that Britain needs. Edited by Caroline Julian.

pdf: http://www.respublica.org.uk/documents/qrz_Making%20It%20Mutual_The%20ownership%20revolution%20that%20Britain%20needs.pdf

 

Description

“Diverse and devolved ownership, power and capital, alongside user, consumer and employee participation in governance and decision-making, are principles that we can all agree with. Unlike any other policy agenda, mutual, employee-owned and co-operative models, and their underpinning ideals, have attracted cross-party support and have been promoted as foundational players to our public institutions, private services and businesses, not just in this Government’s lifetime, but the ones that have preceded it also.

This is not to say that mutual models are a ‘silver bullet’ for all of our economic and societal problems, or indeed, that such models have been or will be successful in all sectors and public services. We have argued elsewhere that it must be right for the locality, the employees and the industry, and, as many of the contributors within this collection point out, must be considered as one model amongst others that could seek to promote similar principles. Greater plurality and competition within markets – both public and private – matched with greater participation, ownership and control, is first and foremost needed.

Mutual models also vary in legal type, governance and wider outreach. For the purposes of this collection, we have not restricted the definition of ‘mutual’ to a particular business model, but have included, and encouraged authors to draw upon, the importance of distributed and devolved ownership, alongside ‘mutuality’ and ‘co-operation’ in their broadest sense. Again, no single model or legal form will be suitable for every community’s and industry’s needs.

ResPublica has, however, particularly advocated models that can offer a real ownership stake – an entry point into a given market that has become closed and out of reach for so many. This model must also be capable of transforming the drive of such markets from what has often been a consumerist, individualist and self-interested enterprise, to one where communities, employees and users can take control.”

 

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