History of the Co-operative Movement
A worldwide movement starts in Scotland
Robert Owen sowed the seeds of co-operativism with his factory at New Lanark and his radical approach to industrial relations. Owen (1771-1858) made his fortune in the cotton trade and is credited with fathering the cooperative movement. He was passionate about providing a good environment and education for his workers and their children, establishing the innovative cotton mills of New Lanark, which he directed from 1800 to 1829.
Meanwhile, other co-operatives started out as small grassroots organisations in Western Europe, North America and Japan in the mid 19th century.
People working together to create mutual benefits
In 1844, the first modern consumer co-operative business was established by the Rochdale Pioneers, (supporters of Owen's philosophy) - a group of 28 artisans working in the cotton mills in Rochdale in England. They sold basic provisions to workers at affordable prices.
It seems that there were co-ops in Lennoxtown, Govan and Parkhead in Glasgow as well as at Fenwick near Kilmarnock as far back as the early 18th century, but these are not as well documented as the Rochdale Pioneers.
Co-ops have since emerged as a powerful source of jobs and innovation, enabling many hundreds of millions of people to enjoy more control over their own work and welfare, with hundreds of co-operatives in Scotland and around the world.