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Abstract
The article considers the “pragmatic reform” versus “radical utopia” duality
within the social economy and, in that context, evaluates the contribution of
the community cooperatives of the Highlands and Islands of Scotland to the
development of the modern UK social economy. The assessment is based
on recent research, including interviews with representatives of several
cooperatives and others involved in the initiative undertaken by the former
Highlands and Islands Development Board, or in related activities. The origins
of the Scottish social economy lie in the “Highland Problem”, arising
from the processes of depopulation of the Highlands and Islands as a result
of the clearances, the need for local employment opportunities, the exploitation
of Scotland as a British colony, the cultural dimension, and the
profound importance of the land question. The initiative has been very successful,
on a number of different levels: it created new jobs, services and
enterprises; very importantly, it built asset bases and revenue income to underpin
development; it changed people’s lives, was genuinely bottom-up,
raised consciousness, reinforced the mutual cooperation tradition of the
area, and inspired people elsewhere to do similar things. It can claim a degree
of radicalism and the achievement of some significant social change.