On Cooperation

Book Review

Vladimir Ilyich Lenin's book «On Cooperation» is regarded as an important work dedicated to the issues of the cooperative movement and its role in socialist construction. Lenin emphasizes the significance of cooperation as a form of labor and production organization that can become the basis for transitioning to socialism. He sees cooperation as a means of uniting the peasantry and the working class, contributing to economic development and improving living standards. Critics note that Lenin in his work focuses on the necessity of state support for cooperatives and their integration into a planned economy. It is also highlighted that Lenin views cooperation not only as an economic but also as a social phenomenon, fostering the development of a new type of person, the collectivist. At the same time, some critics point out the idealistic nature of Lenin's views on cooperation, noting that in practice, cooperatives faced numerous challenges and limitations.