"Beginning in southern India around 800 AD, a network of merchants' societies known as the Ayyavole 500 spread as far as Sri Lanka, Burma and Sumatra. The merchants agreed to cooperate and abide by a dharma, or code of conduct, ensuring honor both within the group and with outsiders. They sponsored trade fairs and maintained good relations with their local communities through philanthropic activities and tribute. The Ayyavole name was adopted far and wide for over 500 years; it became a "brand" associated with high quality products and fair dealings.
In the 1891 history Two Thousand Years of Gild Life, the social reformer Rev. Joseph Malet Lambert described the rules of guilds in ancient Rome, Anglo-Saxon England, and medieval Persia. Many of these societies united people by livelihood, some were religious cults, and others were locality-based, but they had common characteristics: regular contributions by members; bonds of fellowship confirmed by an oath or promise and reinforced by regular feasts and drinking parties; rules for preserving courtesy and order; and interestingly, most often, burial assistance. Beyond these basic attributes, the "gilds" were flexible, allowing for "the application of the fellowship or association to the most pressing need of the society of the day, whether mutual insurance against theft or fire, facilitation of trade, or in an imperfectly organized society, for purposes of police." (http://realitysandwich.com/node/482)
More here at the peer2peer foundation:
Co-Oaxaca (working name) is a cooperative organization that seeks to enhance the “well being” of Oaxaca through the support of businesses, non-profits and NGO’s that create social value in a sustainable manner. Through the creation of a physical and online social network, cafe, meeting space co-oaxaca makes it easier for members to connect with each other, to exchange information and to leverage each others skills while making links with networks outside of Oaxaca.
No comments:
Post a Comment