Rochdale Pioneers: Myths and Facts

Abstract

The history of the Rochdale Pioneers, the founders of the consumer co-operatives in Great Britain, is repeated by all who turn to the history of the co-operative and labour movements. This “story” is always the same, researchers retell approximately the same facts. The article attempts to trace how the “typical story” about the Rochdale Pioneers developed in Russian and British historiography and how it is seen in the light of recent research. The documents of the “Rochdale Society of Equitable Pioneers” and the data from recent studies of British historians helped to consider the background of the event; the circumstances of the creation of the Society, the number of founding pioneers, their professional affiliation, age composition, adherence to Owenist and other socio-political ideas; relations with other cooperatives and authorities; the rules and objectives set out in the Statute of 1844 and subsequent statutes; the main directions of the Society's activity in 1844—1860s; the fate of the founding pioneers. Particular attention is paid to the evolution of the principles of the Rochdale co-operative system and to the efforts to preserve the heritage of the Pioneers.