Written by Sandro Antoniazzi, Marco Carcano, Vito Volpe, Sergio Zaninelli
The issue of worker participation in enterprises has a long history and finds its origin in the very nature of modern economic organisation. Over time, various proposals have emerged to deal with this situation: from the more explicitly revolutionary, such as the Russian soviets, to the reformist ones of co-management or co-participation. The essays in this book illustrate some historical moments, but focus particularly on the current situation, because globalisation on the one hand, and the improved cultural level of workers on the other, are leading to a qualitative leap in company relations. The evolution that can be achieved in companies today can well be defined as an advancement of democracy, as the possibility for workers to express themselves and discuss their role. In many factories today, this is already possible in practice, and the spread of such practices would make an important contribution to the growth of new company relations, helping to establish a climate of greater trust in society.
