True emancipation requires not only the implementation of political participation but also the realization of economic self-determination.

Were electric co-ops considered?

A system of community/worker-owned enterprises generally meets the definition of worker ownership. Studies show worker-owned businesses and cooperatives are viable and may even outperform traditional ownership in some measurements, like firm survival.

Worker co-ops!

The relationship can be different within worker co-ops because the manager is commonly elected directly from among the workers themselves. Often times there isn't a single traditional manager either as workers engage in self management, or the position is rotated periodically. It's neat.

Mmm, worker-owned ice cream.

I wrote about Baltimore's co-op infrastructure a couple of weeks ago... here's a much more in-depth look at what is quietly one of the most revolutionary things happening in the US.

Neurodivergent and cerebral people are accused of being bots more and more often. It's happened to me many times now, so I feel where you are coming from. I have zero interest in altering my communication style, so I guess I will have to endure more instances of this kind of dehumanization.

In my experience many people continue to cling to WDV, especially those who hold an ideological aversion to the idea that workers own enterprises. But yes, those who've looked at the empirical side in good faith have moved away from it at this point.

Socialism - an umbrella term encompassing many distinct philosophies that share the ideal for worker, community, social, and/or public ownership. Communism - a classless, stateless, moneyless form of socialism. Marxism-Leninism - prescribes the vanguard party, state ownership, and centralism.

"They can always seek another job" is such an out of touch talking point too. Many people stay at their jobs for fear of losing the income they need to afford food and rent, let alone their health insurance tied to employment. Even a brief gap in employment can hurt significantly.

There's a study covering Canadian co-ops that found they are more resilient. The same is also true for worker-owned businesses. Canada can create greater independence and economic equality through local and democratic worker and community ownership.

We need more worker cooperatives. They're democracies. Workers elect managers and the board. They're better at protecting jobs. Workers are less likely to be laid off during a recession. They're more equitable. Pay ratios are often below 5:1.

Someone placed me on a "Doesn't follow back" list before, and I'm like... I'm not here to follow random people who are only here to farm numbers and would never engage with me otherwise.

It can feel dehumanizing, to say the least. I don't want to change the way I communicate. It does not feel nice at all when I am sharing about a topic I've researched deeply and am quite passionate about, only to be called a bot or "GPT slop."

I've experienced explicit accusations here that I'm a bot as well as more subtle implications that I don't engage like a human being. My special interest is incredibly important to me, and so I am deeply invested in ensuring my communication and grammar are clear, accurate, and correct.

Indigenous groups use cooperatives to preserve and pass down traditional knowledge, language, and culture. Co-ops are democratic, allowing these communities to directly participate in decisions concerning natural resources, food sovereignty, the workplace, and the economy.

Worker cooperatives might interest you. In U.S. worker co-ops, the ratio is 2:1.