We have now surveyed co-operation in its chief forms and in some of the countries where it is chiefly found. Some years ago it was roughly estimated that the members of one or other of its branches numbered six millions, representing with their families a population of 25,000,000 people. This must be much within the truth to-day. In no other country so much as in Great Britain do we find the tendency for all branches of co-operation to federate in one union and to help one another by mutual trade. Yet everywhere the instinct of co-operative societies is to federate with others--at least with others of their own particular shade; so that Wholesales and other federations are found more and more in many countries. Since 1895 the co-operators and co-operative societies of many far-distant lands--almost of the whole world--have been drawn together by the International Co-operative Alliance, a body which, without attempting to interfere in their differences, collects information from all, and distributes it to all, keeps them all in touch, and every few years calls their delegates together in congress, to discuss their problems, and to remember their common ideals.
BIBLIOGRAPHY.--International Co-operative Alliance, _International Co-operative Bibliography_ (London, 1906); G. J. Holyoake, _History of Co-operation_ (London, 1875-1879, new ed., 1906), _History of the Rochdale Pioneers_ (London, 1893, new ed., 1900), _Self-Help a Hundred Years Ago_ (London, 3rd ed., 1891), _Co-operative Movement of To-day_ (London, 1891, new ed., 1896); Lloyd Jones, _Life and Times and Labours of Robert Owen_ (London, 1890, new ed., 1895); F. Podmore, _Robert Owen_ (London, 1906); E. T. Craig, _History of Ralahine_ (London, 1882, new ed., 1893); Thomas Hughes and E. V. Neale, _A Manual for Co-operators_ (Manchester, 1881, 1888); Catherine Webb (editor), _Industrial Co-operation_ (Manchester, 1904); Beatrice Potter (Mrs Sidney Webb), _Co-operative Movement in Great Britain_ (London, 1891, 1893, 1904); A. H. D. Acland and B. Jones, _Working Men Co-operators_ (1898); Benjamin Jones, _Co-operative Production_ (London, 1894); C. R. Fay, _Co-operation at Home and Abroad_ (London, 1908); H. D. Lloyd, _Labour Co-partnership_ (London and New York, 1898); D. F. Schloss, _Methods of Industrial Remuneration_ (London, 2nd ed., 1894); N. P. Gilman, _Profit Sharing_ (London, 1892); C. Robert, _Guide pratique de la participation_ (Paris, 1892); Aneurin Williams, _Twenty-eight Years of Co-partnership at Guise_ (Letchworth, 1908), _Relations of Co-operative Movement to National and International Commerce_ (Manchester, 1896); Dallet-Fabre-Prudhommeaux, _Le Familistère illustré_ (Paris, 1901); Bernadot, _Le Familistère de Guise_ (Guise, 1892); E. O. Greening, _The Co-operative Traveller Abroad_ (London, 1888); H. W. Wolff, _People's Banks_ (London, 1893, 1896), _Co-operative Banking, its Principles and Practice, with a chapter on Co-operative Mortgage Credit_ (London, 1907); de Rocquigny, _La Co-opération de production dans l'agriculture_ (Paris, 1896); Merlin, _Les Associations ouvrières et patronales_, &c. (Paris, 1900); Mabilleau and others, _La Prévoyance sociale en Italie_ (Paris, 1898); Fr. Müller, _Wesen, Grundsätze und Nutzen der Consumvereine_ (Basel, 1900). See also the annual Reports of the Government Labour Departments, and the _Monthly Bulletin_ of the Internat. Co-op. Alliance. (A. Wi.*)