Co-operative Development, Policy, and Power in a Period of Contested Neoliberalism: The Case of Evergreen Co-operative Corporation in Cleveland, Ohio

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dc.contributor.authorRowe, James
dc.contributor.authorPeredo, Ana Maria
dc.contributor.authorSullivan, Megan
dc.contributor.authorRestakis, John
dc.date.accessioned2018-02-02T20:22:26Z
dc.date.available2018-02-02T20:22:26Z
dc.date.issued2017-04
dc.descriptionExcerpt from Conclusion: Evergreen and its leaders have played a key role heightening the co-operative movements ambitions for growth and power in North America.There are efforts afoot to replicate Evergreen and experiment with related models, such as a new “union Co-op” model which allows for co-op developers to benefit from the expertise and capital of unions. Future research should track these cases of co-operative development, as insight into the successes and challenges of these initiatives can help facilitate sectoral growth. Evergreen’s leaders are well aware of the challenges they face expanding the network in Cleveland and sparking copycat co-ops across the continent. The Democracy Collaborative hopes that publicity around the Evergreen story will increase popular interest in co-operatives and ultimately grow the sector. Stabilizing the system in Cleveland is a crucial part of this movement-building effort, as is managing expectations around replicating the model. Our argument is that replicating the “Cleveland Model” will be challenging given the serendipity that allowed for Evergreen’s emergence (the two central contingencies being backing from the Cleveland Foundation and the City). This said, the period of “contested neoliberalism” has increased popular and elite interest in economic alternatives. Evergreen benefitted from growing fatigue with neoliberal economic development in Cleveland, and co-op developers in other regions may find similar openings. Evergreen’s growth locally and ability to become a replicable model nationally faces significant challenges. Its efforts towards scalability and replicability, however, along with the Democracy Collaborative’s larger effort to build popular power for systemic change, are precisely what the US co-operative movement needs to become a stronger political force, one capable of winning legislative change. Ambitious co-operative development initiatives like Evergreen, coupled with self-conscious efforts to strengthen the political power of the co-operative movement, are needed to make the co-operative economy a viable alternative to neoliberal capitalism.en_US
dc.description.abstractThis article was published in the journal Socialist Studies in 2017. https://www.socialiststudies.com We are grateful for their permission to share the article PDF here. ** Article Abstract ** After the financial crisis in 2008 and amid growing concerns about climate change, interest in systemic alternatives to neoliberal capitalism is growing. This cultural shift helps explain the enthusiasm from political elites, media, and academics that greeted the launch of Evergreen Co-operative Corporation in 2009. Based in Cleveland Ohio, Evergreen is a network of worker-owned co-operatives with scalability and replicability woven into its design. But how warranted is the broad-based enthusiasm around Evergreen? Is this a model that can be replicated across North America as its founders suggest? Based on site visits and stakeholder interviews, we argue that there are important limits on desires to reproduce the “Cleveland Model.” However, its ambitions for scalability and replicability position it to contribute to the important project of movement building that can facilitate the policy change needed to scale up the co-operative alternative.en_US
dc.format.availabilityFull-texten_US
dc.identifier.otherhttp://dx.doi.org/10.18740/S4M628
dc.identifier.urihttps://www.socialiststudies.com/index.php/sss/article/view/26949
dc.identifier.urihttps://hdl.handle.net/10587/1858
dc.language.isoenen_US
dc.publisherSocialist Studies - Journal of the Society for Socialist Studiesen_US
dc.subject.se-space-enterprise-enCo-operativesen_US
dc.subject.se-space-enterprise-enWorker/Labour Co-operativesen_US
dc.subject.se-space-enterprise-enSocial Co-operativesen_US
dc.subject.se-space-enterprise-frCoopérativesen_US
dc.subject.se-space-enterprise-frCoopératives de travailen_US
dc.subject.se-space-enterprise-frCoopératives socialesen_US
dc.subject.sespace-geographic-enOutside Canadaen_US
dc.subject.sespace-geographic-enUnited Statesen_US
dc.subject.sespace-geographic-frHors du Canadaen_US
dc.subject.sespace-geographic-frÉtats-Unisen_US
dc.subject.sespace-populations-enUrbanen_US
dc.subject.sespace-populations-enLow-income / Socio-Economically Disadvantageden_US
dc.subject.sespace-populations-frUrbainesen_US
dc.subject.sespace-populations-frÀ faibles revenus / Défavorisées sur le plan socio-économiqueen_US
dc.subject.sespace-research-enMeasuring the Co-operative Difference Research Network (2010-2015)en_US
dc.subject.sespace-research-frRéseau de recherche pour mesurer la différence coopérative (2010-2015)en_US
dc.subject.sespace-sector-enEnergy, Forestry & other Natural Resourcesen_US
dc.subject.sespace-sector-enFood & Food Servicesen_US
dc.subject.sespace-sector-enService Industriesen_US
dc.subject.sespace-sector-enSocial Inclusion & Integrationen_US
dc.subject.sespace-sector-frÉnergie, foresterie et autres ressources naturellesen_US
dc.subject.sespace-sector-frAlimentation et restaurationen_US
dc.subject.sespace-sector-frIndustries de services (par ex. personnel de ménage, coiffeurs / coiffeuses, agents de voyage)en_US
dc.subject.sespace-sector-frInclusion sociale et intégrationen_US
dc.subject.sespace-theme-enAlternative Economic Theory / Co-operative Theoryen_US
dc.subject.sespace-theme-enBusiness Development & Financing, Organizational Sustainability, Business Successionen_US
dc.subject.sespace-theme-enCommunity Economic Development / Socio-Economic Developmenten_US
dc.subject.sespace-theme-enDemocracy & Participationen_US
dc.subject.sespace-theme-enInnovation (Social & Technological) / Emerging Sectorsen_US
dc.subject.sespace-theme-enSustainable Development & Environmental Issuesen_US
dc.subject.sespace-theme-frThéorie économique alternative / Théorie de coopérationen_US
dc.subject.sespace-theme-frDéveloppement des affaires et financement, efficacité organisationnelle, succession d’entrepriseen_US
dc.subject.sespace-theme-frDéveloppement économique communautaire / Développement socio-économiqueen_US
dc.subject.sespace-theme-frDémocratie et participationen_US
dc.subject.sespace-theme-frInnovation (sociale et technologique) / Secteurs émergentsen_US
dc.subject.sespace-theme-frDéveloppement durable et problèmes environnementauxen_US
dc.titleCo-operative Development, Policy, and Power in a Period of Contested Neoliberalism: The Case of Evergreen Co-operative Corporation in Cleveland, Ohioen_US
dc.typeArticle (Academic Journal)en_US
dc.typeArticle dans une revue universitaireen_US
dc.typeArticle (Academic Journal)en_US
dc.typeArticle dans une revue universitaireen_US
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