Building Alternatives

The Uralungal Labour Contract Cooperative Society (ULCCS) in northern Kerala is a remarkable institution founded as part of the early 20th century anti-caste movement. The Cooperatives raison dêtre - as enshrined in its bylaws - is to promote the economic interests of the labourers of the Society. Despite ups and downs over its 90-year history the ULCCS is a highly successful cooperative both in terms of its profitability and in its enhancing the lives of its worker-owners. This despite the neoliberal policies that have suffocated much economic activity that lies outside of monopoly capitalisms interests. Building Alternatives provides an honest appraisal of a heroic venture of a cooperative enterprise demonstrating that cooperatives are not only able to survive in a small niche but are able to grow into substantial institutions within the social life of a region. The book does not gloss over the problems that come with this history providing a rich empirical account that helps us learn from the challenges and successes. The story of ULCCS is not merely an inspiration to the world but a guidebook to the resilience of cooperatives as alternatives within capitalism.