Many great minds have molded and influenced the ideas found within the Cooperative Community Core Content. My principle contribution has been that of assembling the various pieces into a cohesive whole and explaining it as best I can in plain English. That being the case, I wish to give credit where credit is due.
The origins of this material can be traced to the work of Shaye Stevens, with whom I worked for four years. His years of research into the various aspects of modern human civilization led to the discovery and understanding of not only what works, but how it works. These efforts led to the development and design of a comprehensive, fully integrated, ecological and economic system. Sincerest thanks to the many talented people whose research, ideas, and suggestions helped identify the various aspects of the issue: Barry Eaton for his concepts of community as a political, economic, and social whole; Virl Osmond for introducing Buckminster Fuller and comprehensive anticipatory design science; Patrick Watters for his amazing grasp on international politics and business; Ed Maynard for his understanding of international banking and finance; and Alan Avans and Dr. Warner Woodsworth for their research into cooperatives and banks, and Alan’s concise summaries; and a special acknowledgment is due to Dan Thornton for the model and ideas surrounding the physical layout of his Agrarian Cities. I would also like to thank Tim Anderson who introduced me to sociocracy, which proved to be the final piece to this complex puzzle, enabling all the elements to come together harmoniously and democratically.
Other significant influences come from: Anne Wilson Schaef; Bernard Lietaer’s work on green currency and community currencies; Bill Mollison’s work on permaculture and sustainable design; Buckminster Fuller for his ideas about practically everything; Dee Hock’s ideas about chaordic organizations and their structure; E. F. Schumacher’s work on humane economics; Fritjof Capra’s ideas on systems theory and the web of life; Greg MacLeod’s writings on Mondragon; Jane Jacobs and her insightful work on cities and their impact on nations; Dr. Scott Peck’s work on communities; and Paul Hawken, Amory B. Lovins, & L. Hunter Lovins and their work regarding natural capitalism. I would also like to thank those who have, in ways large and small, known and unknown, inspired, encouraged and/or assisted in this work. Thank you all. You got me moving and kept me going.
Tim Wardell
January 2018
Resources
The following great minds have influenced the conception of the ideas contained herein. Please take time to study their work should you wish further insight.
Anne Wilson Schaef
When Society Becomes an Addict
Harper Collins, 1988
ISBN # 0-06-254854-9 (paperback)
Bernard Lietaer
The Future of Money
Century, 2002
ISBN # 0-7126999-10
“A Green Convertible Currency” &
“Community Currencies: A New Tool for the 21st Century”
web site: lietaer.com
Bill McKibben
Deep Economy: The Wealth of Communities and the Durable Future
Times Books / Macmillan, 2007
ISBN # 0-8050-7626-3
Bill Mollison
Permaculture – A Designers Manual
Tagari Publications, 1996
ISBN # 0-908228-01-5
&
Introduction to Permaculture
Tagari Publications, 1995
ISBN # 0-908228-08-2
web site: The Permaculture Research Institute
Buckminster Fuller Institute
web site: Buckminster Fuller Institute
Dee Hock
Birth of the Chaordic Age
Berrett-Koehler Publishers, Inc., 1999
ISBN # 1-576-75074-4
web site: The Chaordic Commons
E. F. Schumacher
Small is Beautiful – Economics as if People Mattered
(25 Years Later … with Commentaries)
Hartley & Marks Publishers, 1999
ISBN # 0-88179-169-5
web site: Schumacher Center for a New Economics
Fritjof Capra
The Web of Life – A New Scientific Understanding of Living Systems
Anchor Books / Doubleday, 1996
ISBN # 0-385-47675-2
Greg MacLeod
From Mondragon to America – Experiments in Community Economic Development
University College of Cape Breton Press, 1997
ISBN # 0-920336-53-1
International Co-operative Alliance
web site: https://ica.coop/
Statement of Co-operative Identity, Values, & Principles
International Sociocratic Association – the Sociocratisch Centrum
English web site: http://thesociocracygroup.com/
Jane Jacobs
Cities and the Wealth of Nations – Principles of Economic Life
Vintage Books, 1985
ISBN # 0-394-72911-0M.
Scott Peck, M.D.
The Different Drum – Community Making and Peace
Touchstone, 1988
ISBN # 0-671-66833-1
&
A World Waiting to be Born – Civility Rediscovered
Bantam, 1994
ISBN # 0-553-37317-X
web site: The Foundation for Community Encouragement
Mondragon Cooperative Association
web site: Mondragon Corporacion Cooperativa
Paul Hawken, Amory B. Lovins, & L. Hunter Lovins
Natural Capitalism: Creating the Next Industrial Revolution
Little Brown & Company, 1999
ISBN # 0-316-35316-7
web site: Natural Capitalism
web site: Rocky Mountain Institute
Tim Wardell is a deep thinker, gardener, husband, father, would-be science fiction sex comedy novelist, and margarita aficionado. When not doing any of those things, he reads, studies, practices, and blogs about sustainability.