Navin Raj Dahal

In the practice of cooperatives, class struggle and leadership nature have a profound influence. While the goal of the cooperative movement is collective advancement, mutual support, and inclusive development, in reality, shadows of class divisions and inequality are reflected in leadership styles. When those in leadership positions begin to perceive themselves as representatives of the powerful class and manipulate policies to serve their interests, a deviation from the core values of cooperation begins.

Instead of becoming a means of opportunity for the poor, marginalized, and disadvantaged, the cooperative institution risks becoming a tool that suppresses their rights. If leadership fails to address class struggle and fails to formulate inclusive policies, a crisis of trust emerges within the cooperative. Leadership must focus not only on economic accumulation and loan distribution but also on creating an environment where all classes of members can participate equally in the decision-making process. Thus, cooperative leadership must understand class consciousness, stand for social justice, and establish fair practices based on collaboration.

Leadership is closely tied to the trust and ethics of the members. Members select trustworthy and responsible representatives through democratic practices. The mindset of the leadership must embody the cooperative values, principles, and the commitment to uphold the seven cooperative principles. Only then can cooperative leadership address the core concerns of its members.

Cooperative leadership must rise above issues like class struggle, dialectical materialism, historical materialism, alienation, social transformation, and surplus value. It should not focus on self-centered accumulation but rather address the question of deprivation. Through cooperatives, leadership must be responsible and competent in addressing the lifestyle issues of the poor, marginalized, and economically deprived households. However, the gap between the deprived and the privileged seems to be widening, and the tendencies of accumulation are becoming more rampant. This practice risks deepening poverty even further.

It raises an inherent question- has this practice been nurtured by the well-off class alone?

There are underlying questions regarding infrastructure, superstructure, pauperization, proletarianization, degenerated bourgeoisie, and economic determinism, which seem to have influenced leadership behavior and ethics within the cooperative movement. Members have sensed a deviation from cooperative values, beliefs, and principles due to these practices. Even though the pioneers and responsible leaders within the cooperative movement may be aware of the guiding path of scientific socialism and communism, a culture of pauperization and degenerate bourgeois tendencies is beginning to dominate through flashy events and speech-centric behavior.

For cooperative practice, leadership should bear the responsibility of improving members' living standards by offering new dimensions and policy directions. This also makes one wonder - have we, the members, unintentionally nurtured such leadership by not being vigilant in time?

A truly effective cooperative practice is one that fulfills the spirit of the Cooperative Act, 2074 and adheres to its regulations. However, many cooperatives have deviated from the intended objectives and are now mostly limited to savings collection and loan investment, ignoring other goals outlined in the regulations.

The Spiritual of Cooperatives':

Cooperatives are inherently places of joy and peace. Cooperation is about everyone working together toward the goals set in the regulations, bringing about positive change. True cooperation brings happiness to every member's face and fosters a deep sense of mutual commitment.

The cooperatives operating today are not true spirit cooperative practices because these core sentiments have been lost. True cooperative spirit includes supporting one another in times of hardship, offering encouragement, and transforming from a society that mocks others’ suffering into one that nurtures compassion.

The essence of cooperation reveals compassion and promotes ethical conduct. We don’t need to visit pilgrimage sites for spiritual merit-practicing cooperation is a pilgrimage in itself. It encompasses the following values and behaviors:

1. Creating an environment of mutual trust among members,
2. Fostering collective spirit among members,
3. Developing a sense of guardianship and responsibility between leadership and members,
4. Viewing the institution as a temple, members as family, and leadership as guardians,
5. Ensuring emotional connection and familiarity among all members,
6. Practicing intergenerational membership transfer,
7. Following the seven cooperative principles,
8. Promoting mutual respect among members.

These experiences and realizations of cooperation do not come through training, education, coaching, or mentoring alone - they arise from within. If you want to see happiness spread throughout society, dedicate yourself to the practice of cooperation. It is a sacred act in itself.

Conclusion:

The time has come for members to be vigilant in the cooperative movement. When making decisive choices regarding leadership, members must internalize their honesty and sense of responsibility toward the institution. They should identify and choose leaders with foresight, integrity, accountability, and a commitment to the organization. Leadership should not be selected based on groupism or factionalism but based on one's genuine dedication to the institution and its members.

(A catalyst for change in spiritual cooperatives, Mr. Dahal now contributes his expertise to NEFSCUN.)