The Rise of the Recovered Factory Movement in Argentina

The rise of the recovered factory movement in Argentina seems to have been born not for economic enterprise, or of a great desire for social movement and gain, but out of desperation and starvation. Personal accounts in Sin Patron tell not of a revolution for its own sake but of a workforce doing "anything to survive" (Collective, 2007, p. 56). Far from reveling in the absence of leadership these working women often found themselves destitute and wishing for the return of the bosses to their occupied factories (Collective, 2007, p. 64). The interviews often show not of an expectation for the factories to become the collective property of the occupiers but of an expectation that the owners would return (Collective, 2007, p. 69).

To take over a failing business in a time of national bankruptcy, such as Argentina was facing in 2001, is a questionable economic decision at the very least. The factories which were occupied were on average 40 years old and in disrepair (sometimes intentionally on the part of the original owners) and combined with the strict rules on occupation, the transfer of debt, and the compensation of original owners in Argentina it would appear to be near enough economic suicide. Yet of the 200 factories that were initially occupied only 2 have failed and been forced to close. This success in the face of economic turmoil pays testament to the compatibility of economic enterprise within a social movement.

. Despite these unquestionable struggles many of the occupied factories succeeded in, not only drastically improving the welfare of its workers but also, either maintaining or increasing production within the factories. The economic successes of many of these businesses are undeniable in one factory alo...

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...es were still oppwrating under what was effectively “a state of siege” (Collective, 2007)and that it is difficult to ensure normal working practice's whist attempting to defend the factory from those attempting to repossess it. Significant problems were also faced in sourcing materials where many factories had little liquid capital and few resources; there were a number of different methods in combating this issue from support from local communities, credit agreements with suppliers and asking customers to provide materials for products ordered.

The growth of co-operatives in argentina were by no means short lived. in 2012 6024 cooperatives were created in the country, when in 2011 they had established 1777, representing an increase of 239% in just 12 months. (http://www.lanacion.com.ar/1561788-crecen-sin-control-las-cooperativas-sociales-y-abundan-las-quejas)+

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