Cooperatives as an instrument of socialist construction in Tanzania: the case study of VUASU co-operative union

This is an analysis of co-operative movement in Tanzania at different historical periods. The periods in question are the pre-colanial period, the calonial period, and various, periods during the independence era in which there was an effort to establish a theory of development. This culminated in the Village and Ujamaa Village (Registration] Act of 1975. An attempt is made to find out whether or not co-operatives have played the role of an instrument of socialist construction. The introduction sets out the problem and methods employed in the field, taking Vuasu Co-operative Union as a case study. Chapter two describes the theory of co-operative from the utopian theory of Owen to the present cooperative principles. Chapter three analyses the general development of the co-operative movement in Tanzania. Chapter four is a case study of co-operatives in Pare. It identifies the major problems encountered in co-operatives. Chapter five pin-points major issues and arrives at a conclusion that for co-operatives to become an instrument of socialist construction the co-operative structures have to be set in the light of Tanzanias; historical background.