Text 4. International Co-operative Movement

 

Task 18. Read, translate the text for control, discuss and suggest solutions to problems:

International co-operative movement is a global social and economic movement, which unites national co-operative movements in the countries of Europe, America, Asia, and Africa.

The international co-operative movement is a mass social and economic movement of the present day, which unites more than 800 million people-members of co-operatives of different types supported by governments and international organizations, research workers, public and political leaders.

Consumer co-operation of Russia is a socially oriented system of market economy. Co-operatives are engaged in various economic and social activities and solve their tasks through business and public practice. Business activities include: trade, public catering, agriculturalproduce procurement, goods production, paid services, capital construction, agricultural production, and transport; educational, spa, and health care services.

Co-operative movement in the countries of Europe is developed in Great Britain, Germany, Austria, the Netherlands, France, Sweden, Italy, Spain, Belgium, Switzerland, Denmark, Norway, Finland, and other countries. Great Britain is known for consumer co-operatives. Italy and France remain the largest worker co-operative sector in Europe. The most vivid example of the worker co-operative sector is the group Mondragon in Spain. The Scandinavian countries are the first to develop a co-operative housing sector. Agricultural co-operatives have become a significant part of every European country’s economy.

Co-operative movement of Americas involves agricultural, consumer, credit, housing and other types of co-operative.

Co-operative movement in the countries of Asia and the Pacific Region include agricultural co-operatives in Iran, Malaysia, South Korea, India, China, New Zealand, Indonesia, Israel; consumer co-operatives – in Japan, Singapore, Korea, Thailand, Malaysia, India, Bangladesh; other types of co-operatives are represented by credit banks in Asia; worker or artisan co-operatives – in India, China, Vietnam, Sri Lanka; a co-operative health service sector – in Australia; medical centers – in Malaysia, on the Philippines, in Singapore, in Japan; housing co-operatives – in Turkey. The International Co-operative Alliance (ICA) is a world representative of co-operative organizations of all types. The International Co-operative Alliance is a non-governmental co-operative federation or a co-operative union of the co-operative movement worldwide. It was founded in 1895 to unite, represent and serve co-operatives worldwide. The ICA represents 272 co-operative federations and organizations in 94 countries (January 2014).

The main challenge of co-operatives in the 21st century is to fill the growing value vacuum by offering a consistent and convincing value system. People should find solutions for their most pressing problems by helpingthemselves, by accepting responsibility for their own future, relying on their own strength and on the force of combined efforts, on self-help and group solidarity.

 

Task 19. Memorize the key terms, concepts, expressions and the their meaning.

public catering	общественное питание
agricultural produce procurement	заготовка сельхозпродукции
spa	курорт с минеральной водой
health care services	услуги здравоохранения
vivid example	яркий пример
artisan co-operatives	кооперативы ремесленников
challenge	вызов
self-help	самопомощь
be engaged in	быть вовлеченным

Task 20. Answer the questions. Solve the problems. Do the tasks.

1. Identify common trends for the development of consumer co- operatives in Europe.

2. In which countries of Europe is the agricultural co-operative sector the most developed?

3. What is the International Co-operative Alliance?

4. Specify values on which co- operatives are based?

5. What do co- operatives offer?

6. What activities are co- operatives enterprise involved?

7. What will co- operative have to do if they want to become the forerunners in the society?

8. What problems face the developing countries?

9. What is the main challenge of co- operatives in the 21^st century?

Task 21. Discuss the international co-operative movement, exchange informed opinions, argue your points effectively and listen carefully to the views of others.

Task 22. Form new words with the help of suffixes and prefixed from:

1) to know

a) –ness b) -ance c) -tion d) -ledge

2) to appear

a) –ness b) -ance c) -tion d) -ledge

3) to announce

a) –ness b) -tion c) -ment d) -ship

4) danger

a) –less b) -ous c) -able d) -ful

5) success

a) –ible b) -ous c) -ful d) -able

6) responsible

a) –un b) -dis c) -ir d) -in

Answer key: 1d; 2b; 3c; 4b; 5c; 6b

Work in pairs

Task 23. Work in pairs and make up short dialogues about “A Would Be Profession”:

1. Social Work.

2. Pedagogical Education.

3. Economics.

4. International Co-operative Movement.

5. The International Co-operative Alliance.