Literature
If you want to know more about cooperatives, the solidarity economy, mutualism, or racial justice, this is a place to start. You can find more at Heartleaf Books, a worker-owned store in Providence, RI.
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Worker-Owned Cooperatives for Formerly Incarcerated People: Avenues for Racial and Economic Justice
Kendall Johnson, Eric Larson, Trisha Oliver, David-Allen Sumner Sr., and Tunji Yerima
Today in the U.S., nearly 100 million adults have a criminal record, as the criminal legal system ensnares an ever-growing spectrum of our friends, family, and neighbors. Born in systemic racism, our system of policing and imprisonment continues to disproportionately impact Black people, Indigenous people, and other people of color (BIPOC). Employers continue to deny jobs to people both because of their criminal record as well as their race.
This report, which is intended for community members, elected officials, and activists, explores one potential solution: worker-owned cooperative businesses. It examines the impacts of worker-owned cooperatives created by and for formerly incarcerated people. It considers the potential and future impacts of these cooperatives as well. This report argues that creating these kinds of worker-owned, democratically run businesses can forge avenues for racial and economic justice.
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Mutualism: Building the Next Economy from the Ground Up
Sara Horowitz
Mutualism: Building the Next Economy from the Ground Up is a profound exploration of the crisis of work and the collapse of the traditional safety net in America. Horowitz, the founder of the Freelancers Union and former chair of the New York Federal Reserve, presents a vision for a better future rooted in America's cooperative spirit.
The book introduces the concept of mutualism, which Horowitz describes as a third path between capitalism and socialism. She argues that by 2027, a majority of Americans will be independent workers (e.g., freelancers, gig workers) who lack the social safety net that traditional employees once had. To address this, Horowitz proposes building mutualist organizations inspired by labor unions, trade associations, and mutual aid societies.
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The Making of a Democratic Economy
Marjorie Kelly and Ted Howard
The Making of a Democratic Economy is a compelling exploration of how to create an equitable and sustainable economic system. The book outlines seven principles of a Democratic Economy: community, inclusion, place (keeping wealth local), good work (putting labor before capital), democratized ownership, ethical finance, and sustainability.