Study of the Status of Cooperatives in Three Historical Periods (Tsarist Empire, Soviet Union, and Post-Communist Era) and Examination of the Types of Cooperatives in Contemporary Russia
Abstract
Cooperation, in the sense of collaboration and collective work, has deep roots in Russian culture and is closely linked to concepts such as land and ownership. In Russia, the formation of the idea of shared labor served as a theoretical foundation for the emergence of cooperation and, consequently, its concrete manifestations—cooperatives. This development arose from the necessity to meet the needs of a large population that emerged during political upheavals, such as internal and external wars and the historical background of the empire.
Cooperatives have always played an important role in sustaining the life of the Russian people by providing basic needs and maintaining political authority, as well as in preserving the country’s national security through expanding the production and consumption chain, especially in agriculture and industry.
Given the current economic conditions—characterized by sudden shortages of goods on one hand and rapid price increases on the other—referring to Russia’s experience suggests that assigning a distributive role to cooperatives could be an effective solution.
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History of the Cooperative System in Three Periods: Tsarist Empire, Soviet Union, and Post-Communist Era
During the Tsarist era, serfs were freed, allowing local agricultural councils to form. Under the Soviet Union, cooperatives were revived and heavily promoted by communist leaders and theorists. After communism fell, cooperatives became less prominent but still exist in three forms: production cooperatives (successors to collective farms), consumer communities, and new consumer cooperatives, mainly active in rural areas.
Cooperatives in Today’s Russia
Under Vladimir Putin, cooperatives in Russia have been revived as tools for policy, mainly helping small farmers, merchants, and entrepreneurs gain more control over their businesses. These cooperatives are often centrally managed and differ from Western cooperative traditions.
As of 2017, about half of the 67,000+ registered cooperatives are active, including:
- Agricultural production cooperatives: commercial groups pooling land and resources for farming.
- Agricultural consumer cooperatives: non-commercial groups reducing costs and providing services in agriculture.
- Consumer credit cooperatives: financial cooperatives offering mutual aid, governed federally by a credit union league.
- Consumer cooperatives: mostly housing-related, with a smaller agricultural share, historically important during wartime.
- Dacha (villa) and gardening cooperatives: large non-commercial groups focused on gardening and community projects.
This study was conducted at Cooperative Think Tank by Leila Arab Sorkhi in 2021.
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