The three sections of this book move from local case studies of cooperativism to examples of systemic designs, especially in the form of CWB, that incorporate co-operation in the widest sense of the word. The Preston Model and its budding offshoot in Japan are just two examples of a changing mindset in how life, space and work can be organized, with human beings taking centre stage. The Preston Model is highlighted in this book because of recent attention to its successes and influence and its focus on co-operation. The Preston Model has captured the imagination and ignited hopes and desires for change. We do not claim that the Preston Model is uniquely innovative. Not only does it have its roots in Cleveland and Mondragon, but there are many versions of CWB or the social economy dotted around the world, each with its local touch. Some are recent, as in Barcelona or Cincinnati, and others have been established for several decades, as is the case of the ‘Chantier’ system of social and economic innovation in Quebec (Mendell, 2009). It does seem, however, that the development of the Preston Model is uniquely situated at a moment of social and economic change in the UK with significant outreach and influence – as in the national economies of Scotland and Wales – that is not common to all such systemic innovations.

It is no longer incontestably accepted that the neoliberal modality of the capitalist system based squarely on competition and hierarchical structures of reward can solve its own problems in a world beset by multiplying and recurring crises. This is why a growing number of academics and public intellectuals argue in favour of market plurality and many endorse the cooperative model of organizing as a promising alternative to market orthodoxy, capable of advancing more socially balanced and participatory practices (Stiglitz, 2002; Porritt, 2007; Restakis, 2010; Birchall, 2013). The authors of this book align with this thinking and have engaged with the task of outlining thoughts of an exciting future of co-operation as a force that can counteract the failures and shortcomings of the neoliberal way of engaging the market and the competition that accompanies it.