ABSTRACT
The notion of a GDE may seem both obscure and far-fetched. Worker controlled cooperatives had been developed before in the United States. Instead of isolated co-op enterprises on the east and west coasts, we now see a network of regional cooperative development hubs throughout almost all parts of the country, as well as the formation of a national organization, the United States Federation of Worker Cooperatives (USFWC). Institutional barriers that restricted GDE's growth are now breaking down. If the GDE is now developing at an unusual pace and in many unexpected ways, a conclusion that one might be tempted to draw is that joining or starting a worker cooperative is both a worthy and a prudentially wise decision. Cooperative or self-managed enterprises may be organized democratically and may become allied with one another; they may even make charitable donations or provide discounted prices to neighboring non-profits.
