Historical week8

Question 1

Co-operative movement

Answer 1

1844: Rochdale Society of Equitable Pioneers
28 local people raise capital (£1 each) to create their own retail store:
- Not-for-profit venture
- Run in the interests of consumers
- Unadulterated foodstuffs
- Profits returned to consumers through ‘dividend’
Consumers pool their economic resources to ensure that business works to support their interests.

Idea is not to engage in struggle between capital and labour
- But to utilise capital in the interests of consumers
- Profits, in the form of dividends, flow to consumers

Question 2

Chairman of Co-operative Wholesale Society

Answer 2

Mitchell

Question 3

Corn Laws

Answer 3

This form of protection was a source of great controversy.
Supported by British producers (and landowners) who wanted to maintain prices, and protect jobs.

Question 4

What does the Consumers’ Association do?

Answer 4

Launched in 1957
- Rigorous consumer testing of various products (toys, sunglasses, washing machines, toasters, aspirin…)
- Detailed reports and comparisons
- Best buy advice

Question 5

Which?

Answer 5

‘The CA existed to create a more equitable marketplace, improving “the imbalance between the strong seller and the weak buyer, since, inevitably, the more technologically advanced a society becomes, and the larger the cornucopia of goods and services it produces, the less able is the individual consumer to rely on his experience or his hunch.”’