A Free Market vs. Worker Collectives

Reedsport OR

Description

I don't know if my (out of town) post will show up, but I've been thinking about the recent rise and fall of another small business in Portland, and I'm going to try and share those thoughts. Simply put, a Free Market DOES support worker "Collectives" (or Coops)...but here's the deal on that. You have to form the Collective FIRST, and THEN start your OWN business. In a Free Market, that's super possible to do. If you don't have the ambition or ability to do that, oh well, I guess you'll need to work for somebody else. If you DO have to work for somebody else, then you have to accept the conditions, respect your employer's efforts and risks, and above all BE GRATEFUL someone presented you with the opportunity to support yourself. What you DO NOT do is accept employment and THEN form your "collective" to take over someone's else's dream. Stop Voting for Weird, Portland, it's not working. Get some serious Law and Order going, folks, make it safe for small businesses to exist and succeed. THEN start a Collective, or Coop, of people and ideas, pool your resources, choose your audience, and open your little bar or whatever, do your OWN work and take your OWN risks. This Republic, while imperfect, is worth preserving. If you help dismantle it, I guarantee you will not be happy with what comes next, and it's also a sure bet there will be no going back and trying again.