Seminar Mondragon – an example of a cooperative region

The cooperative region Mondragon was initiated in the 40ies of last century. Starting off with educational work of the church and with the construction of a professional school an independant cooperative strategy was developed, which has today impressive as well as preoccupying characteristics. Possibly this is the most cited example worldwide for the possibility of a democratic economy without worklessness. We will analyse it on the basis of the existing literature and own experiences by following up its history. What does the opposition in Franco-Spain look like and which possibilities of independant organisation and mode or production does it permit? Which cultural base exists? What does the organisational model of the cooperative region look like and why is it always being corrected and restructured? What were the principles and what does it look like today? (1) An overview of the Mondragon system and of its cultural background (2) The thinking of Jose Maria Arizmendiarrieta, Mondragon's founder and social thinker (3) The school as the basis of the experience (4) evolution of the industrial cooperatives and the gradual shift of their groupings from territorial to sectoral (5)The bank and the financial system of cooperative development (6)The development of other mutualised functions: consulting, R&D, insurance, welfare (7) The development of the educational system at the service of the group (8) The systematisation of the group: creation of the corporation and its central services (9) The internationalisation of the group (10) Key reasons for success: a) worker ownership and participation (workers being members/owners), b) the educational system (11) Key reasons for success: c) the financial system, d) entrepreneurial scales (12) The Mondragon group's role in the regional development (13) The need and capacity for constant correction and restructuring (14) challenges ahead (15) Conclusions FB 05 Gesellschaftswissenschaften Uni Kassel WS 2007/2008 Soziologie Prof. Dr. Sanchez Bajo Claudia