This talk was presented by Global Voices for Justice on October 5, 2016 in San Francisco, California. Prof. Wolff talks about worker coops and democratic decision-making in the workplace.
Thank you thank you for posting this important talk! Richard Wolff has earned himself a place alongside Noam Chomsky, Cornel West, Chris Hedges and other intellectual luminaries of our day. Times they are a changing!
You mean far left 'intellectual luminaries' that tell you what you want to hear right? I listen to Noam Chomsky. He actually says the opposite of the truth and tries to say that is how things work. He should have stuck with linguistics. He is only popular because he became famous protesting the Vietnam war. How he has earned the title of intellectual is beyond me. Watch his Netflix show and fact check any of it. To me, you should not be able to make up facts and still be called an intellectual. If you want to call him a convincing and educated activist, I would be able to agree with you. Is Thomas Sowell an intellectual?
Very intriguing business model. The older I get, the less hard core conservative I become. If a greater percentage of US businesses are organized this way we will be living in a far better economy. I’m not sure how many workers would want this, as so many I know want nothing to do with the responsibility of decision making but for those that do I see tremendous opportunity.
I would argue that it is an old school conservative model of the 19th century being that Shakers, Quakers, Amish, Mormons, and various other religious groups organized cooperative enterprises. The Quakers in England are today creating a non-usury Bank. With run away corporatism, I think it is a logical alternative regardless what a person’s political leanings are because it puts power and control back in the hands of the people.
Please organize and try whatever you want within the free market we have. (start your own coop) If you want to take from those who established their companies already, please do it far away from me and my family. It is idiotic and destructive. Only those who know nothing about economics and history would approve.
Dr. Richard Wolff is riveting in this. Americans should embrace Worker Co-Opts / ESOPs -- after all it's healthy competition for a capitalist hierarchical system. Aren't we Americans in favor of choice and competition? We tell our children to share at a young age only to find out we do the total opposite when we're adults. He makes too much sense and what he is asking for isn't far-fetched. It's actually attainable. I have said this before, I'll say it again, Dr. Wolff is the Milton Friedman of the Left. Unique. Refreshing. Interesting.
Dr. Wolff would make Milton Friedman laugh. Go ahead and create ESOPs. You are free to do so. Nobody has an issue with this. Wolff wants to take over existing companies with force. There is no other way to explain it. Friedman would laugh and then destroy him with logic. I hope he makes enough money to retire soon. Then I won't see him on RT as one of the 2 people that anyone has ever heard of to appear on RT. (Russian Television)
@@LordXain So society should be structured by some people deciding what is good and forcing the resistors to comply? I have an idea. Let's take a look at what has worked in the past several thousand years and let's also look at what didn't work. Let us make logical conclusions based on facts and history.
@@mnbytestube Did America force its freedom? Again, all I said is change often comes by force. If you look at history honestly and logically, you will admit that change often comes by force. It's a simple point that you really shouldn't try and argue.
" deal with issues such as the over-concentration of government power.." Here is an idea, which i already relayed to mr. Wolff once. avn.armiavn.com/foreign.html
I think a key point he makes is effectively if you're working at a company which isn't a worker coop then your working for a dictatorship.. sounds heavy but that's right isn't it, it's not democratic. workers are 'dictated to', you do what your told, you may have some input but in most organisations I've worked in don't really be honest about what you think, only give your input if it falls along the lines of what the company leaders want to do... or you know what will happen, they'll get rid of you!
Nope, you are free to work wherever you choose. You are free to risk it all and try to start your own company. Wolff sells envy. Vote with your feet. Make yourself marketable. You can earn whatever you are worth. Wolff wants the dictatorship. He wants to take from people and redistribute. He advocates government control and power. It has all been tried so many times. It is a disaster. Study the economic history of the world. His ideas are not new, they are just bad.
@@mnbytestube This entire speech is about workers' control of the means of production and from that you take the message of him advocating for state control of the means of production? Are you really that obscenely fucking stupid?
Thank you professor Richard Wolff for your views on worker coops.this is global voice for social justice.you mentioned that this is alternative solution to capitalism.why all capitalist countries follow this method.
I bet you live in the first world. You take everything for granted. You believe this BS. I have a fix for it. Learn real stuff. Find out how good you actually have it. Stop being so spoiled and ignorant. That will go a long way.
edition.cnn.com/2016/03/16/travel/worlds-happiest-countries-united-nations/ Happiness is a better measure of human welfare than measuring education, health, poverty, income and good government separately, the report's editors argue. There are at least seven key ingredients of happiness: People who live in the happiest countries have longer life expectancies, have more social support, have more freedom to make life choices, have lower perceptions of corruption, experience more generosity, experience less inequality of happiness and have a higher gross domestic product per capita, the report shows.
I want to create a COOP in my field. I know others that are ready to establish COOP businesses in their areas. WE DO NOT KNOW HOW. So where is the content, even paid content, that will TEACH US HOW!?
In his book "Democracy at Work" professor Wolff goes into more detail about what co-ops (or Workers Self-Directed Enterprises) may look like. If you're looking for information on the practical side of how to get a co-op up and running, I suggest contacting a co-op in your country/state.
Appreciate this and all you do, Prof. Wolff. I'd also be interested in seeing "Harriet's" discussion. Who was that speaker you mentioned who discusses Worker Coops from a psychological perspective?
Think for a moment about the most basic human right denied to billions of people around the globe: the birthright of equal access to the planet and the natural resources required for a decent human existence. Winston Churchill described the state of the world as it existed in 1909, which has only worsened with each passing year: "It is quite true that land monopoly is not the only monopoly which exists, but it is by far the greatest of monopolies - it is a perpetual monopoly, and it is the mother of all other forms of monopoly. It is quite true that unearned increments in land are not the only form of unearned or undeserved profit which individuals are able to secure; but it is the principal form of unearned increment which is derived from processes which are not merely not beneficial, but which are positively detrimental to the general public. "Land, which is a necessity of human existence, which is the original source of all wealth, which is strictly limited in extent, which is fixed in geographical position. Land, I say, differs from all other forms of property in these primary and fundamental conditions." Churchill did not advocate that the people in every society rise up to violently destroy the prevailing system of landlordism. He embraced the simple solution put forward by the American political economist Henry George. As every parcel or tract of land has some potential annual rental value, a value based not on anything the owner of land does or does not do with the land, but based on a combination of natural and societally-created advantages, this rental value belongs to the community, to society. Once this rental value of land is collected, the holder of land has fulfilled his or her financial obligation to the community. Funds will then be available to pay for democratically agreed-upon public goods and services. Edward J. Dodson, M.L.A. Director School of Cooperative Individualism www.cooperative-individualism.org
The workers must gather to decide all these things, the market tendencies, the raw materials, the political situation, etc. Meanwhile, the factory stops while the workers discuss and decide ... Excellent idea, Mr Wolff ... !!
You do know this can be decided on A DAY right? A monthly or weekly meeting? It doesn't halt production a lot and even if it did, so what? Does it matter as long as people get payed a good living wage? Why should profit be the end goal and not well-being? There's no reason, and Mondragon is living proof that worker coops work, even small worker coops are living proof. They're small sure, but they work, they produce and people who work there earn good money, better than in capitalist bussineses.
Scenario: workers in Church .. القرآن - سورۃ نمبر 2 البقرة آیت نمبر 74 أَعـوذُ بِاللهِ مِنَ الشَّيْـطانِ الرَّجيـم بِسْمِ اللّٰهِ الرَّحْمٰنِ الرَّحِيْمِ ثُمَّ قَسَتۡ قُلُوۡبُكُمۡ مِّنۡۢ بَعۡدِ ذٰلِكَ فَهِىَ كَالۡحِجَارَةِ اَوۡ اَشَدُّ قَسۡوَةً ؕ وَاِنَّ مِنَ الۡحِجَارَةِ لَمَا يَتَفَجَّرُ مِنۡهُ الۡاَنۡهٰرُؕ وَاِنَّ مِنۡهَا لَمَا يَشَّقَّقُ فَيَخۡرُجُ مِنۡهُ الۡمَآءُؕ وَاِنَّ مِنۡهَا لَمَا يَهۡبِطُ مِنۡ خَشۡيَةِ اللّٰهِؕ وَمَا اللّٰهُ بِغَافِلٍ عَمَّا تَعۡمَلُوۡنَ ۞ Translation: Then your hearts became hardened after that, being like stones or even harder. For indeed, there are stones from which rivers burst forth, and there are some of them that split open and water comes out, and there are some of them that fall down for fear of Allah. And Allah is not unaware of what you do.
Workers paid proportionally to its product (meritocracy) and freely combining their individual property, wich they own by working on it (enterpreneurship). Socialism is the contradictory result of capitalism.
What is the point of me risking my life savings and working my ass off getting my business off the ground just to have workers which I have hired for an agreed wage to take control of it? It doesn't belong to them, they didn't build it
Worker co-ops are not socialist by default. If they are for profit and are owned by private idividuals they are capitalist. When he said worker co-ops make capitalist enterprises look not so good, he means *other* capitalist enterprises. Because those co-ops are themselves capitalist enterprises. Though the larger a worker co-op is the less democratic it is, until it is so large that it only pays lipservice to democracy. Moondragon comes to mind. And in a worker coop democracy you are not your own boss, the collective majority is when they vote on an issue. Unless you are self employed you are not tuly free (and yes, self employment can be capitalist too).
How are they capitalists if all the workers LITERALLY own the means of production??? Worker coops are a Socialist/Anarchist way of organizing but they don't call them that because then Americans get scared.
Cyrus, you don't seem to understand that capitalism and socialism can and do co-exist. Look at all of the socialist/capitalist countries in Western Europe for examples of this strange phenomenon.
OMG Becky, this guy is a crackhead. Ask yourself one question: Would you rather live in Cuba, Venezuela, Cambodia, North Korea or the US? Which countries do people try to move to? Socialist countries? Nope they have to close the border to keep people in. I can't believe this guy gets paid to teach. He is all over RT (Russian Television). Yeah they got this guy and Jesse Ventura and RT actually pays to be on cable line up. LOL Start your own business if you want to keep the efforts of your work. (or fail as that is a real option) You can actually do that in the US. This guy wants to end that. He wants to stop all innovation and progress. Get over income inequality. When your country has 330 million people and each one gives you 5 cents for your idea you get 1.65 million. (if you only sold to people in your country) We have a massive and successful economy in spite of being at least 35% socialist already. Wealthy people invest. That is capital. That provides innovation and new ideas. New businesses and lots of employees. That makes......America. Show me where it is better than America. Don't call it trickle down, don't dismiss it. It works. The proof is all around you. Not to mention that Wolff spews inaccurate information constantly. Fact check some of this stuff. I feel bad for him, the conspiracy theories he possesses much torture him. Its a planned system of oppression. If that is so how are new millionaires and billionaires created all of the time? How are immigrants the biggest segment of new billionaires in America? Of course he is wrong. He sells something called envy.
@@andrestorp Go for it! I would be quite ironic. How many Americans move to Cuba? Literally almost none. Maybe you would be the first. In fact people risk their lives to get on makeshift boats to get the US FROM Cuba. (know stuff) Perhaps you live in North Korea. In which case I agree. Anywhere is better than North Korea.
@Fourth-Dimensional Quasar Actually, I did listen to the speech. I listen to "Dr" Woff quite a bit. Truth be told, nothing has to be done to organize a worker coop. You can start one if you like in a country that has economic freedom. (it is very difficult to do though) I know of a couple in the US. The workers vote on certain things and they get partial ownership over years of service. They don't necessarily make a ton more nor does the decision process with workers voting work out all that often. (many things are left to the experts in that field and workers get upset that they don't get a voice) Some decisions that the mob votes on turn out bad. Does it prevent layoffs? Nope. Do people get to vote on everything? Nope. When they do vote on things does it turn out good? Maybe as good as rolling dice or throwing darts at a dartboard. Do people get wealthy working for coops? Nope. In fact, it is an ok job. You get stock but that isn't unique to worker coops. The real issue is: How does one start a workers coop? The one I was discussing was gifted to the employees when the owner passed away. It has grown and shrunk. They layoff people when they contract. It seems very much like any other company with the exception that they get stock over time. (which is possible at any publicly traded company if you choose to buy the stock with a portion of your income) Wolff would like to reorganize existing companies to be worker controlled and worker-owned. So the people who risked it all and put everything on the line and came up with the idea get it taken from them by government forces. That is a problem. Investors invest in businesses knowing that there is a risk. If the government can take over and redistribute the company that will end forever. We need capital and investors along with entrepreneurs and ideas. Take that away and see how much the country falls behind places that allow economic freedom. It will happen faster than you think too. He does talk about establishing new worker coops. Go for it. No laws are against it. Get low-interest loans from the government to establish them, etc. I don't know how realistic it is to expect new worker coops to start themselves up. People would have to quit their jobs, take huge risks and dedicate years of their lives to get an equal portion of a business. They might lose money for years before becoming profitable if they ever become profitable at all. I'm not saying that what Wolff says doesn't sound good. It sounds great. (especially if you do not know much) It is just that coops do not seem to provide much more if anything to the employees. For example, layoffs still happen. If they didn't the entire business would go out of business. Most of what Wolff preaches is just plain BS. Utopian sounding nonsense. He gets paid to educate kids but he uses that to pad his pockets. Selling Marxism is what he does. He sells envy and victimhood. (and helps nobody in the process) There are more opportunities in the US today than there have been anywhere else at any point in history. Government regulation and high taxes make it difficult to start a business. More of that is bad. We could recognize that the free market made our country great and allow it to thrive instead. The poor in America are the wealthiest poor people in human history. The WHO says that 1% of America lives in their definition of poverty. (a very low percentage) It is still too high. We can do something about it. Wolff would have us all living in poverty if we took his advice. Breadlines, no toilet paper and eventually no food. My point is, the system of free markets is amazing. The actual results are incredible. One dopey professor cannot reorganize society in a better way than thousands of years of human innovation. There is actual proof that free markets bring countries out of poverty. Marx was discredited while he was still alive. Everyone who studies history knows that it doesn't work. Don't throw out all of the success of the western world because you were sold envy by a greedy professor who practically stands alone in a niche market, selling what people want to hear. Please hear other voices. (not mine) Listen to Dr. Thomas Sowell. If professors with degrees impress you, Dr. Sowell is in a class of his own. He is world renowned. His book "Basic Economics" is anything but basic and is used throughout the world. (and probably will be for centuries to come) This book explains economic principles and why supply and demand matter as much as the market setting the price matters. At least give Sowell 1/2 as much time as you give Wolff. Knowing stuff matters.
This concept turns me off immediately. I don't believe the work place needs the additional burden of a bunch of politics and or everyone stopping to vote on what color hammer to use. If the employer can't make decisions about the business he's in, you probably don't want to work for him. Workplace co op. a bunch of stoned hippies talking about how great they are because they are vegans, and you should become vegan too or we will look down our noses at you. CO OP? no way, it may look good on paper, but more than two people in the co op, and suddenly you have too much drama. If human beings were no more than robots it might be feasible. Too complicated, people leave jobs because of many number of reasons, who do you replace them with? Is that replacement now equeal with those that have been there 10 years and never missed a day? I employer, your hired your fired, now get to work or get out of here. There won't be any voting because men refuse to carry pink tools. Don't try selling that Communist Evil to me. It has failed everywhere. Hope no one is offended, Just saying.
