ABSTRACT
The Central Associations have contributed to the growth of the Italian cooperative movement through many interrelated activities. This chapter explores how Central Associations are governed, how they influence public policy and how they promote economic development. It provides a more in-depth explanation of the association and its cooperative members, and focuses more on Lega-coop. The chapter describes the various services provided to members. It examines political representation and the role of the state. The chapter also describes an analysis of Legacoop's system of authority. It also explains how it promotes new cooperatives, cooperative development and its approach to crisis management. The chapter considers the reasons that led the various major Central Associations to commence a journey toward unification. It discusses the development of a vision of the role cooperatives could perform in society, a strategy of alliances and the promotion of large cooperatives, financial structures and new sectors.
