Comparative study of the cooperative movements in post-socialistic countries of Central and Eastern Europe

Vilém Krtička

Bachelor's thesis

Abstract:

The research was conducted in order to compile a case study from the Czech Republic providing insight into the situation of local agricultural cooperatives and enabling comparison with other countries in the region of post-socialist Central and Eastern Europe. The main criterion was to determine the level of fulfillment of the International Cooperative Principles by production and marketing cooperatives through qualitative research methods including full interviews with the chairmen of five agricultural cooperatives and short conversations with several dozen other chairmen. The research revealed a low awareness of cooperative principles in all agricultural production cooperatives participating in short phone calls, while in four marketing and one production cooperative participating in full interviews, it found an overall sufficient level of adherence to international cooperative principles. The expectation was confirmed that there are a number of enterprises in the Czech Republic operating under the identity of a cooperative, but in reality they operate as conventional private companies. There are a small number of cooperatives fulfilling cooperative ideas and principles, and fundamental reforms would be needed to improve the situation. To begin with, it appears to be an important reassessment of the definition of a cooperative and its setting according to the International Cooperative Principles. Furthermore, increased awareness of cooperative ideas and redistribution of land to create better conditions for the creation of new cooperatives from below.

Keywords

Cooperatives, Post-Socialist Eastern Europe, Collectivization, Transformation economies

Language used: English

Date on which the thesis was submitted / produced: 27. 4. 2024

Thesis defence

• Supervisor: Ing. Jiří Hejkrlík, Ph.D.
• Reader: Ebenezer Donkor, externi

Czech University of Life Sciences Prague

Faculty of Tropical AgriSciences

Bachelor programme:
International Cooperation in Agricultural and Rural Development