ABSTRACT
Zimbabwe’s collective co-operatives are generally seen to have failed (Sylvester 1985; Tandon 1988; Akwabi-Ameyew 1990; Mavima and Sithole 1992). But at that point agreement ceases. The definition of what constitutes failure, and what are to be identified as the major contributing factors, are subjects that remain areas of contention. Importantly, it is contention that has ideological overtones. The existence and the success of collective co operatives, most particularly producer collective co-operatives, involved as they were with Zimbabwe’s early putative socialist direction, were seen clearly as key indicators by both sides of the political spectrum. Indeed it is interesting to note that, even after the end of the Cold War and the proclaimed victory of the capitalist system, ideologically geared attacks on the ‘socialism’ of collective co-operatives continues (Akwabi-Ameyaw 1997: 437-456).
