THE IMPORTANCE OF STUDYING PRINCIPLES AND ECONOMICS OF CO-OPERATIVE

MEANING OF CO-OPERATIVE
The co-operative institution will tell us that the co-operative institution is about people. It’s about a business.  It is in line with these assertion that various definitions of this subject have been postulated by some school of thoughts.  Whereas some scholars see co-operative or define co-operative as an association of person usually of limited means who have voluntarily joined together to achieve a common Economic goals through the formation of a democratically  controlled business organization, making equitable contribution to the capital required and accepting a fair share of the risk and benefits of the undertaking in which the members actively participate.
Other International Co-operative Alliance (I.C.A) compliments with the view that co-operative is an autonomous association of persons united voluntarily to meet their common economic, social and cultural needs and aspirations through a jointly owned and democratically controlled enterprise.
Furthermore, a co-operative society can be defined as an enterprise formed and directed by association of users applying within itself the rules of democracy and directly intended to save both its own members and the community as a whole.
Finally, according to (Bob-Igwe, 1993:15), he defined Co-operative as a voluntary, evolutionary democratic process resulting from initiative and enterprise at the “grassroots” by individuals motivated by the principle of self -help and mutual aid. TABLE OF CONTENTS
PREFACE                                                                    IACKNOWLEDGEMENT                                          IIDEDICATION                                                           IIICOVER PAGE                                                            IVTITLE PAGE                                                               VAPPROVAL PAGE                                                     VI
Chapter OneMeaning of Co-operativeCo-operative Value
Chapter TwoPrinciples of Co-operative BusinessI.C.A Principles of 1937Voluntary and Open MembershipDemocratic Member ControlMember economic participationAutonomy and IndependenceEducation, Training and InformationCo-operation among Co-operativesConcern for Community
Chapter ThreeThe Rochdale Pioneers I.C.AAim of the I.C.AI.C.A MembershipTypes of membership1.Collective membership2.Individual membership3.Ordinary membershipRights of members.Duties of membersPast I.C. A Congresses 
Chapter FourIntroductionReasons for joining co-operativesi.Economic motiveii.Sociological motiveiii.External pressure Classification and Types of co-operatives Producer co-operative society/movement.
Chapter Fivei.Findingsii.Recommendationsiii.Conclusion.