Cooperatives: October 2004 Archives

by Garda Ghista

Introduction
The ‘paradox’ of Bengal, or Bangladesh, is that on the one hand it has immense geographical, geological, agricultural resources and hence potentiality for development into a (so-called) first world nation. However, despite these abundant resources, it has remained in abject poverty, or to use the term of Paul Farmer, ‘dire affliction.’ Bangladesh has a population of 133 million people, but the plight of the majority is heart-rending. Ten percent of the people own more than 60 percent of the land. Sixty percent of the people own less than ten percent of the land. Illiteracy is nearly 40 percent. Infant mortality is 80/1000. More than 50 percent of the people are landless. These landless people survive as sharecroppers or worse, as daily wage laborers, with men earning 33 cents daily and women 20 cents. Hence for the majority, at least one of the five necessities of life (food, clothing, shelter, health care and education) are missing. In macro-economics, this is defined as absolute poverty.

By Garda Ghista

“The sweetest unifying factors are love and sympathy for humanity. The wonts of the human heart are joy, pleasure and beatitude. In the physical realm the best expression of this human sweetness is the cooperative system. The cooperative system is the best representation of the sweet nectar of humanity.”

Prabhat Ranjan Sarkar

by Prabhat Ranjan Sarkar

As you know, human society is one and indivisible. A human being cannot live alone. If a person wants to drink water from a well, he or she needs a rope and a bucket, and to tie the rope one needs a hook. For all these things, the help of the others is indispensable.

In society human beings have to work jointly with others so that everybody can move forward collectively. Sama'nam ejati iti sama'jah.

Message from the International Co-operative Alliance

The importance of good public policy and legislation for the development of the co-operative movement is highlighted in the latest report of the United Nations' Secretary-General to the General Assembly (A/54/57). The report will be discussed by the General Assembly during its 1999 session from September to December.

by Prabhat Ranjan Sarkar

Providing food, clothing, housing, education and medical treatment is most important for social security. These five minimum requirements are indispensable to raise the living standard of the people. To guarantee these, the principle of production based on consumption has to be adopted. Special emphasis should be placed on agricultural production because the provision of food is of vital importance, and for this the cooperative system should be rapidly expanded.