Dormant Members and Lack of Member Awareness and Loyalty

5. Dormant Members and Lack of Member Awareness and Loyalty

A co-operative belongs to its members and is meant to be run by their active participation. A widespread challenge is that a large part of the membership is dormant (inactive) and that many members lack awareness and loyalty towards their own society.

Dormant members are those who, having once joined, take no active part in the society thereafter — they do not attend general meetings, do not vote thoughtfully in elections, do not use the society's services regularly, and show no interest in how it is run. In many societies such passive members far outnumber the active ones.

Why members become dormant or disloyal:

• Lack of education about co-operation. Many members do not understand co-operative values and their own rights and duties, so they see the society as just another shop or bank rather than as their own organisation.
• Members join for a narrow benefit. Some join only to get a loan, a subsidy, or membership benefits, with no real interest in the co-operative itself.
• Loss of faith. Where societies are badly managed, politicised or corrupt, members lose trust and withdraw their interest.
• Divided loyalty. Members may deal with the society when it suits them but take their real business elsewhere (for example, selling produce in the open market when prices are higher), which undermines the society they are supposed to support.

Consequences of member apathy:

• Democratic control becomes hollow. When members do not attend meetings or vote wisely, a small group can capture and misuse the society, defeating the very idea of member control.
• The society loses business. If members do not use its services loyally, the society's turnover and viability suffer. …