The Industrial and Provident Societies Partnership Act 1852, also known (somewhat unjustifiably) as Slaney's Act, was a significant legislative landmark in the establishment of the
co-operative movement
The history of the cooperative movement concerns the origins and history of cooperatives across the world. Although cooperative arrangements, such as mutual insurance, and principles of cooperation existed long before, the cooperative movement bega ...
in the United Kingdom.
Background
Prior to 1852, co-operative societies had protected their members capital by registering under the
Friendly Societies Act
Friendly Societies Act (with its variations) is a stock short title used in New Zealand and the United Kingdom for legislation relating to friendly societies.
List
New Zealand
*The Friendly Societies Act 1856 (19 & 20 Vict No 28)
*The Friendly ...
1846. However the act specified protection only for purchases, not for sales; so the co-operative societies were forced to use a legal fiction of dubious merit to cover themselves when selling, and it was this that brought home the need for a new statute to regularise their position.
Passage
John Ludlow played an important role in promoting the Act of 1852. He had initially proposed a comparable Bill for Whig passage in 1851; but was blocked by
Henry Labouchere
Henry may refer to:
People
*Henry (given name)
* Henry (surname)
* Henry Lau, Canadian singer and musician who performs under the mononym Henry
Royalty
* Portuguese royalty
** King-Cardinal Henry, King of Portugal
** Henry, Count of Portugal, ...
at the Board of Trade. The following year
Disraeli
Benjamin Disraeli, 1st Earl of Beaconsfield, (21 December 1804 – 19 April 1881) was a British statesman and Conservative Party (UK), Conservative politician who twice served as Prime Minister of the United Kingdom. He played a centr ...
persuaded his colleagues that promoting such social reform would be politically advantageous for the Tories, as well as offering a route for working-class energies to be incorporated into society; and the Bill passed into law.
The Act not only provided a legal framework for the co-operative movement, but also specified much of its future direction - for example laying down the principle that up to 1/3rd of profits could be shared among members, the rest being used to build up the business.
[D McDonnell, ''Democratic Enterprises'' (2012) p. 70]
See also
References
{{Reflist, 2}
Further reading
*Ch. Kingsley, ''Life and Memories'' () Vol i
Cooperative movement
Co-operatives in the United Kingdom
History of social movements
Mutualism (movement)
United Kingdom Acts of Parliament 1852