MI AASC
Worker Cooperatives and Collective Farms 

Steps:

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Phase A: Idea Generation and Initial Assessment

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1.1 Through community discussions (e.g., neighborhood assemblies, mutual aid networks), identify a specific unmet need for a product or service within the community that could be provided non-hierarchically (e.g., local food, affordable housing construction, community-run childcare, sustainable energy solutions, local manufacturing of essential goods).

Alternatively, identify an existing business or farm that is failing or exploitative, and could be taken over and transformed.

 

1.2 Identify individuals within the community or revolutionary unions who possess the necessary skills for the chosen enterprise (e.g., farming, carpentry, cooking, engineering, administration, organizing).

Inventory potential physical resources: available land (for farms), unused buildings, tools, machinery, or raw materials that could be repurposed or acquired.

 

1.3 Study successful worker cooperatives, collective farms, and other self-managed enterprises (both historical and contemporary) to learn from their structures, challenges, and successes.

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Phase B: Forming the Core Group and Establishing Principles

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2.1 Bring together interested individuals who are committed to the idea of a self-managed, non-profit enterprise.

 

2.2 Collectively define the purpose of the cooperative/collective: what product/service will it provide, what community need will it address, and how will it embody anarchist principles?

 

2.3 Establish Foundational Principles:

• Direct democratic decision-making in all aspects of the enterprise.

• All labor is freely given for the common good (especially in a post-revolutionary context; in pre-revolutionary, it's about fair, non-exploitative labor).

• All assets and profits (if any, pre-revolution) belong to the collective, not individuals.

• Prioritize meeting community needs over generating profit.

• Commit to environmentally sound practices.

• Open to all who wish to contribute and abide by the principles.

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2.4 Begin immediate skill-sharing among the core group to ensure everyone understands various aspects of the operation.

 

Phase C: Planning and Resource Acquisition

 

3.1 Detailed Operational Planning:

• Collectively decide on the most efficient, sustainable, and worker-friendly production methods.

• Democratically determine work schedules and how tasks will be allocated and rotated among members.

• Create a detailed list of required raw materials, tools, equipment, and infrastructure.

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3.2 Resource Acquisition (Non-Capitalist Methods):

• Seek donations of land, tools, or initial capital from sympathetic individuals or existing mutual aid networks.

• Identify and repurpose unused or abandoned resources (e.g., vacant lots for farms, derelict buildings for workshops).

• Engage in direct exchange of goods or services with other nascent worker co-ops or community initiatives.

• If necessary and strategically viable, engage in direct action (e.g., squatting land, occupying abandoned factories) to acquire resources.

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3.3 If operating within a capitalist system, navigate legal structures (e.g., forming a legal cooperative entity) to protect the enterprise, while always prioritizing anarchist principles over legalistic compliance.

 

Phase D: Operation and Self-Management

 

4.1 Hold regular General Assemblies of all worker-members as the primary decision-making body for the cooperative/collective.

Ensure all members have an equal voice and participate in decisions regarding production, distribution, internal organization, and relations with other entities.

 

4.2 Systematically rotate all tasks, including administrative, planning, and manual labor, among members (from 1.3 Integration of Labor).

Actively promote cross-training and skill-sharing within the cooperative/collective to ensure all members gain a holistic understanding of the operation.

 

4.3 Produce goods or services primarily to meet identified community needs (from 3.3 Needs Assessment), rather than for profit or market competition. Distribute products through communal storehouses or direct networks (from 3.2 Communal Storehouses).

 

4.4 Implement and continuously improve ecologically sustainable practices in all operations (e.g., organic farming, waste reduction, renewable energy use).

 

Phase E: Federation and Integration into the Broader Economy

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5.1 The worker cooperative/collective farm integrates into its relevant industrial federation (from 2.4 Industrial Federation and 2.1 Horizontal Coordination). This allows for broader coordination of production, resource sharing, and innovation within the sector.

 

5.2 Maintain close communication with local neighborhood assemblies (from 3.1 Local Governance) to understand community needs and provide feedback on production capacity.

 

5.3 Actively participate in the inter-industrial resource flow system (from 2.2 Resource Flows), requesting raw materials from other federations and contributing finished goods.

 

5.4 Participate in broader inter-organizational coordinating bodies (from 4.1 Inter-Organizational Coordination) to ensure seamless integration into the overall anarchist-communist social fabric.

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Phase F: Sustaining and Adapting

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6.1 Regularly evaluate the cooperative/collective's effectiveness in meeting needs, its ecological impact, and its internal democratic functioning.

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6.2 Address any internal conflicts through restorative justice practices (from 5.2 Restorative Justice) and operational challenges through collective problem-solving.

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6.3 Remain flexible and adaptable to changing community needs, environmental conditions, and technological advancements.

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6.4 Document successful practices and share knowledge to encourage the formation of more worker cooperatives and collective farms in other areas and sectors.