The role of individuals within collective ownership initiatives

Presentation structure

1. Individualism and collectivism: adding horizontal and vertical dimensions

2. How this relates to community-led housing organisations

3. The implications for policy and funding programmes

Horizontal and Vertical Dimensions

Vertical Individualism

Vertical Collectivism

Horizontal Collectivism

Horizontal Individualism

Independence

Equality

Inequality

Inter-dependence

Horizontal and Vertical Dimensions

Vertical Individualism

Member inequalityIndependence

Vertical Collectivism

Member inequalityInter-dependence

Horizontal Collectivism

Member equalityInter-dependence

Horizontal Individualism

Member equalityIndependence

Vertical Individualism

Market Democracy

Vertical CollectivismCommunalism

Horizontal Individualism

Democratic socialism

Horizontal Collectivism –

Communal Living

Independence

Equality

Inequality

Inter-dependence

'It is non-hierarchical, consensus decision-making…pretty much everything you can see that isn't in someone's room, is either communal or you could be forgiven for seeing it as communal…'

Housing Co-op Member

Horizontal Collectivism

Horizontal Individualism

'Could the CLT own the freehold and lease it back to you?'

'No, no, we want the freehold!'Franklin CLT, Steering Group Meeting

Vertical Individualism

'…even in the cooperative movement, the ‘individual landlord’ has prevailed over the ‘collective dweller’ type of tenure'

Birchall, 1992

Vertical Collectivism

‘Giroscope Limited has an Executive Committee of 3 members…from a variety of backgrounds relevant to the work of the charity…A scheme of delegation is in place and day to day responsibility for the provision of the services rests with the Co-ordinator’

Giroscope, 2013

Discussion

• What does this tell us about the nature of community-led housing?

• What type of collectivism is current policy trying to engender?

• How does the dominant national tendency structure and constrain local collectivism?

ReferencesBirchall, J (1992) Housing Co-operatives in Britain Department of Government, Working Papers No. 21, London: Brunel University

Giroscope Limited (2013) Annual Accounts 2012 [online]. Last accessed on 15 June 2013 at www.giroscope.co.uk

Home and Communities Agency (2011) Community-led DevelopmentEligibility Criteria [online]. Last accessed 24 June 2013 at http://www.homesandcommunities.co.uk/community-led-development

Triandis, H. C. (1995) Individualism and Collectivism, Boulder, CO: Westview Press

Singelis, T., Triandis, H.C., Bhawuk, D.P.S, Gelfand, M.J. (1995) Horizontal and Vertical Dimensions of Individualism and Collectivism: A Theoretical and Measurement Refinement, in Cross Cultural Research, 29 (3) pp. 240-275

Triandis, H. C, and Geland, M. J. (1998) Converging Measurement of Horizontal and Vertical Individualism and Collectivism, in Journal of Personality and Social Psyvhology, 74 (1) pp.118-128

Vertical Individualism

Market Democracy

Vertical CollectivismCommunalism

Horizontal Individualism

Democratic socialism

Horizontal Collectivism –

Communal Living