Iran’s cooperative movement: Agony of development

Abstract

Economic justice is deeply rooted in the economic structure and processes of society. Cooperative economy, unlike private enterprise, is established based upon collective ownership of the means of production and is capable of leading to social justice at various levels of economic development. This chapter begins with a theoretical overview of cooperative economy and how it realizes economic justice. Next, a brief history of the cooperative movement in Iran and its specific path of development are discussed. Present conditions of the cooperative movement in Iran and major obstacles in its further development are enumerated and described in greater details. In particular, the chapter will focus on cooperative self-help struggle against the insatiable, craving private sector and state’s resistance to forming any possible future mass economic movement.