Co-operation a cure for poverty - A pamphlet explaining how co-operative stores help reduce poverty

Sep 21, 2026

Upload by Ezra

“Co-operation a cure for poverty” argues that poverty is a root cause of much evil and cannot be solved by Parliament passing laws that merely redistribute wealth. It focuses on practical steps individuals can take and highlights the role of co-operative stores. The leaflet explains savings benefits through membership, dividends, interest on shares, and examples of how small regular saving can grow through time and compound interest. It also notes that co-operation can serve as both a shop and a savings bank, supporting poorer workers and improving security in old age.

LanguageEnglish

CategoryLifestyle

FormatPDF

Pages5

Reading Time8 min

AccessFree to download

Co-operation as a cure for poverty

Why laws alone cannot end poverty

Personal actions to lessen poverty

How co-operative stores enable saving

Dividends, interest, and management benefits

Long-term security for working men

98-84398-22 Co-operation a cure forpoverty Manchester [18--?] ORIGINAL MATERIAL AS FILMED-EXISTING BIBLIOGRAPHIC RECORD Co-operation a cure for poverty. Manchester :Cental Co-Operative Board Offices,[18--?] C2]P TECHNICAL MICROFORM DATA FILM SIZE: 35mmREDUCTION BATIO: 9:1 MAGE PLACEMENT IIA IB IB DATE FILMED: //98 INITIALS: 于 32325 1RACKING\#: FILMED BY PRESERVATION RESOURCES,BETHLEHEM,PA. ② 3 136 # C0-0PERATION A CURE FOR POVERTY, 自， ma do the umost possible good, the prson receiving itorder thatthis leafet1s requested not only to read it carefully,but to hand it to another 8UPPOSE nearly everybody in the world would like to be rich if heeould become so without too much trouble.Whether making evory-body in the world rich would make everybody in the world happy i aquestion which we need not setle just now.We know well enough thatthere are maDy people who are now miserably poor;we know that erimeand every kind of evil is caused by poverty.There is reason enough,therefore,why we should seek a eure for poverty,if there were any hopeof finding one. 工 We cannot hope to eure poverty by Aet of Parliament.It would beof no use to pa8s a law to make everybody rich,becsuse there are somany people who are bent on being poor.The man who spends morethan bis income is poor,whatever that income may be.If all the weslthin the land were divided to-day aTnongat the poor,next month or nextyear there would be some people as poor as ever.We hear now andthen of poor men who,ooming suddenly into property,forthwith drinkthemselves to death. Manchester. Whether it would be well for the Government o this eountry to takeany steps to make poor people richer,or rich people poorer,we neednot argue now.There iB a question which eoncerns D8 all much moreelosely,and apon which we shall certainly all agree if we will giveattention to it.Let us see whst ce ean do,each of us and all of us,to lessen our own poverty and the poverty of those around ns,Evenif the Lcrds and Commons shall some day pa8s a law dealing morejustly with the land,for instance,than hss hitherto been done,we may be8are it will be some time before it occurg.Meanuhile,it will be worth ourwhile to see what ue can do to lessen the evil if not to cure it. OFFICES:-Long. illgate, There are many working nen now-a-daye whose wages would enablethem to save s fortane if they eared enongh about it.The single manwho is earning 876.B week ean save 20g.out of this if he likes.If hewould gave 50 a year for ffteen years,investing it year after year at bper cent,it wonld amount to B1,182.During the next fifteen yearsthis will double itself at eompound interest,and,with the 1,182 savedduring the second period,will amount to 8,896.If the same thinggoes on for another fteen yerB,the whole suzm Bawed during the forty-fve years will be 7,924. y the co-OPERATIVE UNION LIMITED.IssuedYU We can herdly expect a working man to saVe go much as this out ofhis wages.Suppose ho should save nothing at all;suppose he shouldspend all he earns in eating and drinking or otherwie;there is a way inhich he ean grow richer,notwithstanding.If he spends sall his meney自wd-maneged CO-0PEBATIVE STOBE,this will seve his money07him.wuether he will or no.Sappose he spends S0s.B week at aCo-operatIve store,perbaps out of this Bs.will be aved for him;thiawill make apB7.166.during the year.Suppose this invested year byyear at 6 petj cent,at the end of ffteen years it will anount to moraihen 8174批tbe end of another 6fteen ye&rs he will have &22,azdeLhe end of forty-fve yesrs ie will hsve B1,918. N.B.-In ▲Co-OPKLATIVx 8zo点s isa shop earried on for the benedt of theoustomers;what remains of the profits,after psying the working expenBeBbeing divided amongst the eustomers in proportion to the monoy theyhave spent.It is not always 82sy to get a small store well msnaged,and the amount of the profts must depend on the managem

FAQs

Why does the leaflet argue that acts of Parliament cannot cure poverty?

It says passing laws to make everyone rich is ineffective because many people will still choose to remain poor, and poverty persists even if wealth is redistributed. It also gives examples of people who suddenly gain property yet still fall into ruin.

What does the leaflet recommend individuals do to lessen poverty?

It urges everyone to take steps to reduce their own poverty and that of people around them. It emphasizes saving and practical improvement while waiting for larger reforms in land or government policy.

How do co-operative stores help people save and grow wealth?

They let members save through purchasing and through dividends or interest on shares. The leaflet presents scenarios showing that regular investment and time can increase savings through compound growth.

Sep 21, 2026

Upload by Ezra