Aims
It is essential that we establish a strategic organisation to accelerate our ability to address serious social problems and produce positive social impacts by developing organisations that:

• make participatory democratic decisions involving workers and/or consumers, or universal decision making, concerning what is to be produced, how it is to be produced and how the produce is to be distributed.
• can better achieve pro social outcomes.
• provide for more fulfilling work experiences for workers and higher quality goods and services for consumers.

Objectives

• To develop a strategic organisation which will facilitate the transitioning of public and private entities into Workers and/or Consumers Cooperatives or into cooperatives with ‘universal membership’.

• To promote the practical experience of Economic Democracy by structuring a democratic mechanism into the heart of economic activity, to produce economic outcomes that more closely align with the needs of people and the planet.

• To eliminate alienation in the workplace by implementing work designs which provide Balanced Job Complexes, thereby ensuring that all roles equitably empower workers to make significant decisions and foster the development of a wide range of competencies, at different levels of complexity and desirability (Albert, et al. 2002; Albert, 2004; Albert, 2021; Albert & Hahnel, 1991; Albert & Hahnel, 2017; and Hahnel, 2022).

​Attribution for the headline image above to Freepik is hereby acknowledged.

Key Principles of Economic Democracy

• If we truly want to enhance lives, we must improve the opportunities available to individuals.
• The wellbeing of individuals is immensely affected by context, and particularly by the context in which they spend their working lives (Martela, & Pessi, 2018).

• Work design has a powerful influence on motivation and well-being (Gagné,. & Panaccio, 2014; Mika, Stocki & Bożek, 2013; Pink, 2010; Ryan, & Deci, 2000; Deci et al, 2001).

• Democracy is an essential component of human needs, particularly in the economic sector, because it is the most effective means of ensuring that human needs are met.

• Economic Democracy must be established as the central organizing principle of society, forming a secure foundation for political democracy.

• True democratic sovereignty resides in production and consumption.

• Involving people in decision-making processes is the most effective way to safeguard their interests. Without democracy, exploitation becomes inevitable (Albert, et al. 2002).

• Production not only shapes goods, but also moulds human nature (Graeber, 2006).

• The most potent interventions are at the level of production, not at the level of distribution (Wolff, 2012; Rawles in O’Neil, 2008, 2022).

• Real fulfilment comes from creation, not from consumption (Pink, 2010; Martela & Pessi, 2018; Autin et al, 2022; Martela, Ryan & Steger, 2017; Martela & Pessi, 2018; Ryan & Deci, 2000; Deci, Connell & Ryan, 1989; Deci & Ryan, 2000;  Deci, et al 2008).

• It is crucial that we urgently place very significant means of production under democratic control to prevent, if possible, a situation where technological advancements surpass human oversight (Ludik, 2021). This is the imminent crisis posed by Artificial Intelligence.

• Participatory democracy should prioritise participatory budgeting within the organisations and should campaign for its adoption in the regulatory and governmental context.

• All technological and procedural means necessary should be applied to ensure electoral integrity in all elections (Henrÿ, 2021; Dragonchain 2020).

• Work design should prioritise job enrichment, competency development and Economic Democracy by the inclusion into each role of a wide diversity of tasks and decisions, at differing levels of complexity, desirability and potential for empowerment, creating Balanced Job Complexes (Albert, et al. 2002; Albert, 2004; Albert, 2021; Albert & Hahnel, 1991; Albert & Hahnel, 2017; and Hahnel, 2022.

• Work remuneration should be assessed through 360° peer review of work contribution (Albert, et al. 2002; Albert, 2004; Albert, 2021; Albert & Hahnel, 1991; Albert & Hahnel, 2017; and Hahnel, 2022).

• As assessed through skills audits, Cooperatives should provide education and training to their members, linked to participatory decision making and to the technical-economic skills required to perform the work of the organisation (International Cooperative Alliance, 2015).

• Economic Democracy is the most powerful tool to address broad-based social issues.

• The way to return governments to democracy, is to establish democracy within the organisations that influence and control governments.

• Workers ownership with “real participation in decision making” are the two critical components with which to unleash enhanced productivity (Logue  & Yates, 2005).

• Each of us benefits, when all of us benefit (Cumbers, 2018; Cumbers et al, 2020, 2023; UK Research and Innovation, 2018).

• Those who are most affected by the decision, should have a greater influence on the decision (Albert et al 2002).