a. (sb.) [f. L. cooperāt- ppl. stem of cooperārī + -IVE: on analogy of operative.]
1. Having the quality or function of cooperating; working together or with others to the same end; of or pertaining to cooperation.
1603. Holland, Plutarch’s Mor., 65. Some other kinde of perswasive power cooperative with it.
1669. Gale, Crt. Gentiles, I. III. iii. 38. Al other causes were but … concauses, and cooperative under God.
1839. G. P. R. James, Louis XIV., IV. 2. Not as an immediate, but as a co-operative cause.
1855. Milman, Lat. Chr. (1864), IX. XIV. x. 342. Four great principles … mutually cooperative.
1865. Pall Mall G., 18 May, 1. With regard to a young English statesman, we want to know two things mainly—his intrinsic value, and his co-operative capacity.
2. Pol. Econ. Pertaining to industrial cooperation.
Co-operative society: a society or union of persons for the production or distribution of goods, in which the profits are shared by all the contributing members.
Co-operative store: a store or shop belonging to and supported by a co-operative society, with the purpose of supplying themselves with goods at a moderate price, and of distributing the profits, if any, among the members and regular purchasers.
(The earliest co-operative societies and stores were established as a first step towards the contemplated communistic organization of society, mentioned under COOPERATION. But the primary aim was gradually lost sight of, and in 1844 the principle was introduced of giving the profits not to the owners of the business, but, partly at least, to the customers.)
[1808. Southey, in C. Southey, Life & Corr., III. xiv. 135. If co-operative labour were as practicable as it is desirable, what a history of English literature might he and you and I set forth!]
1821. Economist, No. 1. 15 (Resolution at meeting of Printers, etc., 22 Jan.). That a Society, to be denominated ‘The Co-operative and Economical Society,’ be now formed.
1826. [J. M. Morgan], Revolt of Bees, 175, note. The power which the first Co-operative Societies will possess before the system becomes general, of underselling, in the disposal of their surplus produce, whatever is brought to market from the establishments of private individuals.
1848. Mill, Pol. Econ., I. 244. That a country of any large extent could be formed into a single ‘Co-operative Society,’ is indeed not easily conceivable.
1852. Ld. Goderich, in Ld. Ingestre, Meliora, I. 85. In the end of 1850, the London Central Cooperative Store, as it was then called, was opened.
1865. Sat. Rev., XIX. 79/2. The first developement of the principle which obtained considerable results was the Co-operative Store.
1872. Holyoake, Hist. Coop. Rochdale (ed. 7), 56. At the third London Co-operative Congress, 1832, there was reported the existence of a Rochdale Friendly Cooperative Society … It manufactured flannel.
1891. Miss Potter (title), The Co-operative Movement in Great Britain.
B. sb.
1. One who practises or advocates cooperation; a member of a cooperative society.
1829. Southey, Lett. (1856), IV. 148. The scheme of the other co-operatives … tends to secure employment for all its members, and equitable wages.
2. Short for co-operative store. (colloq.)
1883. G. Lloyd, Ebb & Flow, II. 126. As we are so close to the Co-operative we might order those things.
Hence Co[-]operatively adv., by means of or in relation to cooperation; Co[-]operativeness, the state or quality of being cooperative.
1842. De Quincey, Cicero, Wks. VII. 208. Passively, how far co-operatively it is hard to say, Pompey owed his triumph to mere acts of decoy.
1889. Co-operative News, 3 Aug., 824. The society would be placed in a much better position both co-operatively, and commercially.
1655. Sir H. Vane, Retired Man’s Medit. Bringing his fleshly principles into subjection unto, and useful co-operativeness with his heavenly and spiritual, in the exercise of faith.
