University of Białystok

English abstract: Edward Abramowski (1868–1918) was a famous Polish theorist of cooperativism. He wasa socialist but critical assumptions of Marxism theory, which dominated at the turn of 19thand 20th century. The author thesis is that Abramowski’s ideas were not utopian. His ideaare confirm in reality since nowadays cooperatives and cooperative movement are part ofsocio-economic reality. According to Abramowski cooperative possess following features:1) is a cell of the future society; 2) is a voluntary association for the common interestsof people with equal rights; 3) is a co-own and jointly govern; 4) law without coercion isthe service of all man and who voluntarily accept it; 5) protects individual freedom; 6) theprinciple of majority does not infringe the freedom of individuals; 7) cooperative is part ofthe creation of a new world. Abramowski did not accepted idea of revolutionary struggle. He believed in the essence of cooperativism is the idea of human brotherhood. This is notonly the social message, but first of all the moral message for change the human relations.

Keywords: Edward Abramowski, cooperativisim, utopia

Language: Polish

Published: Number 1(8)/2014, pp. 29-40

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