Q.Who are 'dormant members', and how does their presence harm a co-operative society?

A co-operative depends on the active participation of its members, but many members become passive after joining.

Dormant (inactive) members are members who, having once joined a co-operative, take no active part in it 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. Common reasons are lack of education about co-operation (so they treat the society as just another shop or bank), joining only for a narrow benefit such as a loan or subsidy, loss of faith in a badly-managed or corrupt society, and divided loyalty (dealing with the society only when it suits them).

How dormant members harm the society:

• Democratic control becomes hollow. When members do not attend meetings or vote wisely, a small group can easily capture and misuse the society, defeating the very idea of member control (one member, one vote).
• The society loses business. If members do not loyally use its services, its turnover and financial viability suffer.
• Accountability weakens. Passive members do not question or check the management, so inefficiency, mismanagement and corruption can grow unnoticed. …