THE COOPERATIVE MOVEMENT
COOPERATIVA OBRERA LA FRATERNITAT
From the fourth decade of the XIX century, political conflicts and imminent industrialisation with the growth of the working class and the social discontent, facilitated and encouraged the development of the cooperative ideal. The notion of cooperativism also reached the Barceloneta, mainly through the figure of Josep Torrelles who conceived the idea of establishing a consumer cooperative. This Cooperative was born on the first of December, 1879. The aim of the Cooperative was to improve the economic and social situation of its members, but also of the surrounding community. This would be achieved by the development of an enterprise with the collective base in which mutual services and the economic contributions of all members would allow the improvement of human relations, placing the collective interest on top of individual profit.
ENGLISH
From the very beginning and even before being named, a sales section was installed in a portion of a shop located at number 39 of Carrer dels Pescadors. The rent payed was 32 rals per month and the first products sold at the store were spirits, aiguardent, canya, cigarette paper and matches.
LA FRATERNITAT In 1880 there is a record of a joint venture between the Cooperative and Societat de Comestibles La Fraternitat of Badalona, which suggests that the cooperative’s name derives from this initial presence of Badalona’s people. La Fraternitat was moved several times to different locations until its definitive settlement in a two level house situated at the intersection of Carrer Comte de Santa Clara and Carrer dels Pescadors. The antagonism of the local shop owners forced the Cooperativa to pay more taxes and due to this, the direction decided to keep the store open all the day, instead of just a few hours in the evening.