Second Critical Study on Co-operative Policy Development and Legislation Reforms-Executive Summary

Abstract

This report attempts to analyse how some of the rapid and significant changes in the socio-economic and socio-political landscape since 1996 have impacted cooperative policy and legislation. This report also tries to assess the extent to which ICA members and their corresponding governments have implemented follow up actions on the Beijing Joint Declaration (BJD). ' Legislation is considered necessary because it helps society organise itself along efficient lines and generally provides for matters that are socially appropriate and morally desirable. Good legislation is supposed to direct activities having a great deal of community interface such as voluntary association, commerce, manufacturing, and public services into orderly modes, provide a non-contextual framework for decision making and enable effective conflict resolution. On the other hand, legislation is often considered as an instrument that stifles spontaneity and creativity. They are frowned upon as impediments to the development of both the individual and society. Legislation also has this tendency to place people and institutions in situations where they hesitate to set precedence, even as they eagerly hope that someone else would come along and do just that.