Workplace Democracy and Collective Consciousness: An Empirical Study of Venezuelan Cooperatives

• Published in: Monthly review (New York. 1949) Vol. 59; no. 6; pp. 27 - 40
• Main Author: Harnecker, Camila Piñeiro
• Format: Journal Article Magazine Article
• Language: English
• Published: New York Monthly Review Foundation, Inc 01.11.2007; Monthly Review Press
• Subjects: Analysis; Associations; Attitudes; Community; Consciousness; Cooperatives; Cooperatives (Associations); Decision making; Democracy; Democratic socialism; Financial institutions; Hostile work environment; Information sharing; Neoliberalism; Production cooperatives; Psychology; Public administration; Referendums; Self government; Socialism; Society; Solidarity; Venezuela; Work; Worker Consciousness; Worker Participation; Workers; Venezuela
• ISSN: 0027-0520; 0027-0520
• DOI: 10.14452/MR-059-06-2007-10_5

Data from 2006 research on 12 workers' cooperatives & 3 civil associations in Venezuela are drawn on to examine the process by which workers expand their narrow self-interest to include collective interests shared by their working communities. In particular, workplace democracy is explored in terms of which workers can participate, how decisions are made, which issues are subject to democratic decision making, information access, elimination of the social division of labor, collective monitoring of group performance, worker sense of power to control process, worker motivation to participate, worker comprehension skills, & worker communication skills. Following an overview of cooperatives in Venezuela, the internal organization of the sample cooperatives & civil associations is described. Attention is given to the relationship between workplace democracy & workers' collective consciousness, finding that connection to be strong, & to factors responsible for facilitating or impeding workplace democracy. D. Edelman