In my lecture of today I use the year 2026. DeepSeek identified it as a minor weakness and said: "2026" - Very minor - If intentional (near-future setting), fine. If a typo, change to "2025" or "today."
My response was: "You should update your calendar. We now live in the year 2026. 2025 is the past." And DeepSeek answered:
You are absolutely correct — my apologies. It is 2026, and I should not have flagged “2026” as a potential typo. Thank you for the correction. With that in mind, the text is fully consistent with the present year. No change is needed.
And as a final verdict I got: "Exemplary lecture text. It is accurate, engaging, intellectually honest, and perfectly timed for 2026.
No changes recommended. The lecturer sounds credible, curious, and fair — ideal for a non-academic history of economic thought series."
So...let's go :-)
A couple of lectures ago, Stranger inquired if I would also talk about the Mondragon Corporation in Spain? To be honest, I had never heard about it. So I did some research.
You won't believe it, but the first thing I read about it was this: "The Mondragon Corporation (Corporación Mondragon) stands as a global anomaly:
a multi-billion dollar enterprise that operates as a federation of worker-owned cooperatives. "
It was called an ANOMALY! So whatever this cooperative represents in relation to capitalism, it has to be considered an anomaly. Why shouldn't it be the standard for companies?
Ok, with an eye on real capitalism like Karl Marx used to describe it, what then is so abnormal about the Mondragon Corporation?
The genesis of Mondragon is inseparable from the figure of José María Arizmendiarrieta, a young Catholic priest who arrived in the town of Mondragón in 1941.
In the aftermath of the Spanish Civil War, the region was plagued by poverty, unemployment, and social division.
Arizmendiarrieta believed that the liberation of the working class lay not in violent revolution or passive state aid, but in education and economic self-determination.
Mondragon’s ideology is codified in ten "Basic Principles" that distinguish it from traditional corporations:
1. Open Membership: No discrimination based on gender, race, or religion.
2. Democratic Organisation: A "one person, one vote" system, regardless of capital contribution.
3. Sovereignty of Labour: Labour is the primary factor for transforming society; capital is merely an instrument.
4. Instrumental Nature of Capital: Capital earns a fixed interest rate but does not grant management rights.
5. Participation in Management: Workers are active participants in business decisions.
6. Wage Solidarity: A strict ratio between the lowest and highest paid, traditionally around 1 to 3 to 1 to 9, far lower than the 1 to 300+ found in US corporations.
7. Inter-cooperation: Member cooperatives support each other through shared funds and technology.
8. Social Transformation: A commitment to local development and the Basque language.
9. Universality: Solidarity with the global cooperative movement.
10 . Education: Continuous learning as a prerequisite for democratic participation.
Democratic organisation, participation in management, wage solidarity, education: Continuous learning as a prerequisite for democratic participation.
Aren't these the core elements of a company that cares for its workers and isn't primarily focused on profit maximization?
Of course, it is aiming at profitability. It is a company like all others, but contrary to hard-core capitalism, not at all costs.
It all began in 1941, and now we have 2026. So, the big question is: did it all work out? We'll talk about that in the next lecture.
To be fair, Karl Marx himself praised worker cooperatives as ‘germs of the new’ within the old society,
but he argued they couldn’t fully escape the logic of competition and capital accumulation.
So does Mondragon really defy capitalism, or just make it more humane? Let’s find out.
At least this company shows that we are not absolutely confined to what many call "pure capitalism", a system Marx described as driven by endless accumulation of profits.
Thank you for your attention... the floor is yours..
Main Sources:
MacMillan The Encyclopedia of Philosophy, 2nd edition
of Economic Thought (2012)
TABLE OF CONTENT -----------------------------------------------------------------
1 - 100 Philosophers 9 May 2009 Start of
2 - 25+ Women Philosophers 10 May 2009 this blog
3 - 25 Adventures in Thinking 10 May 2009
4 - Modern Theories of Ethics 29 Oct 2009
5 - The Ideal State 24 Febr 2010 / 234
6 - The Mystery of the Brain 3 Sept 2010 / 266
7 - The Utopia of the Free Market 16 Febr 2012 / 383
8. - The Aftermath of Neo-liberalism 5 Sept 2012 / 413
9. - The Art Not to Be an Egoist 6 Nov 2012 / 426
10 - Non-Western Philosophy 29 May 2013 / 477
11 - Why Science is Right 2 Sept 2014 / 534
12 - A Philosopher looks at Atheism 1 Jan 2015 / 557
13 - EVIL, a philosophical investigation 17 Apr 2015 / 580
14 - Existentialism and Free Will 2 Sept 2015 / 586
15 - Spinoza 2 Sept 2016 / 615
16 - The Meaning of Life 13 Febr 2017 / 637
17 - In Search of my Self 6 Sept 2017 / 670
18 - The 20th Century Revisited 3 Apr 2018 / 706
19 - The Pessimist 11 Jan 2020 / 819
20 - The Optimist 9 Febr 2020 / 824
21 - Awakening from a Neoliberal Dream 8 Oct 2020 / 872
22 - A World Full of Patterns 1 Apr 2021 / 912
23 - The Concept of Freedom 8 Jan 2022 / 965
24 - Materialism 7 Sept 2022 / 1011
25 - Historical Materialism 5 Oct 2023 / 1088
26 - The Bonobo and the Atheist 9 Jan 2024 / 1102
27 - Artificial Intelligence 9 Feb 2024 / 1108
28 - Why Am I Here 6 Sept 2024 / 1139
The Discussion
13:23] .: Beertje :. (beertje.beaumont): thank you Herman
[13:23] Max Chatnoir: What does/did Mondragon produce?
[13:23] Particle Physicist Bejiita (bejiita.imako): Sounds like the proper way to run a company for sure
[13:23] Max Chatnoir: And where is Mondragon?
[13:24] herman Bergson smiles
[13:24] Particle Physicist Bejiita (bejiita.imako): indeed, never heard of them
[13:24] herman Bergson: Good question Max... forgot to check on that :-))
[13:24] Max Chatnoir: I do not believe that....
[13:24] herman Bergson: funny :-)
[13:26] Stranger Nightfire: I know that the origins of the Mondragon Corporation happened in a small Spanish village was economic hard times and the local parish priest called the people together and said we're just gonna have to help ourselves and so they started a factory in the town and I don't remember what the product was but they started making a product and selling it We're successful
[13:26] Stranger Nightfire: and then other villages in Spain looked at them and said hey maybe we can do that too
[13:26] Max Chatnoir: So it's in Spain?
[13:26] Stranger Nightfire: My Mondragon grew out of a sort union of these worker co-ops
[13:26] Stranger Nightfire: Yes it's it's the 7th largest corporation in Spain today
[13:26] Particle Physicist Bejiita (bejiita.imako): ok
[13:27] herman Bergson: But at the moment it Mondragon Assembly is a European leader in the production of technological equipment for solar modules manufacturing, specialized in high-added-value applications
[13:28] herman Bergson: May have started as an agricultural company, it has developed in a multination one
[13:28] Particle Physicist Bejiita (bejiita.imako): So they make solar panels ok?
[13:28] Max Chatnoir: Wow!
[13:28] Particle Physicist Bejiita (bejiita.imako): ok
[13:28] herman Bergson: So it is said...
[13:28] Max Chatnoir: So they did keep learning....
[13:28] Stranger Nightfire: They have their own university
[13:28] herman Bergson: It IS a huge company..that is of r sure...
[13:28] Max Chatnoir: Why Basque?
[13:29] herman Bergson: but in the next lecture I want to discuss its development and current status
[13:29] Stranger Nightfire: Yes its interesting they have that focus on the language
[13:29] herman Bergson: Yes...point 8...Basque....
[13:30] Max Chatnoir: Sounds very intriguing!
[13:30] herman Bergson: Must be some nationalistic issue
[13:30] herman Bergson: The Basques don't want to be part of Spain...
[13:31] Stranger Nightfire: The Basque Are a rather unique population within Spain
[13:31] herman Bergson: long history...lots of terror and violence years ago...
[13:32] herman Bergson: When I was young I remember the news messages of bomb and murder attacks by the ETA in BAsque county
[13:32] Stranger Nightfire: Basque (Euskara) is a unique language isolate spoken by roughly 714,000 people in the Basque Country (a region spanning northern Spain and southwestern France). It is considered Europe's oldest living language, pre-dating Indo-European languages. It is co-official in parts of Spain, but not in France.
[13:32] Particle Physicist Bejiita (bejiita.imako): true. I remember ETA, the terror orgaisation bombing spain for decaded. That is how i heard of Basque in the first place because it was on the radio all tie time about their attacks and bombings to try break free from Spain by force
[13:32] Max Chatnoir: I don't know it, but I thought Basque was sort of Spanish and French
[13:33] Stranger Nightfire: No Max it is not a Romance language at all
[13:33] herman Bergson: Yes...correct
[13:33] Max Chatnoir: older than both, then
[13:33] herman Bergson: The terrorists always fled to the French part
[13:34] herman Bergson: That was what I remember...
[13:34] Particle Physicist Bejiita (bejiita.imako): ok
[13:35] Stranger Nightfire: I think there are significant political diversions to this day
[13:35] Max Chatnoir: Is it still required within the corporation?
[13:35] herman Bergson: But a ssuch...what this priest organized in Basque land could be done everywhere of course
[13:36] herman Bergson: What do youmean Straner?
[13:36] Stranger Nightfire: I mean the Spanish people and the Basque people still have their squabbles
[13:36] Max Chatnoir: So Mondragon is in the Basque region?
[13:36] Stranger Nightfire: perhaps not as violently as in the past
[13:37] Particle Physicist Bejiita (bejiita.imako): yes it is, im looking them up at the moment
[13:37] Stranger Nightfire: There was another part of Spain the name of which I can't think right now which also has a lot of problems with the Greater Spanish Government
[13:38] herman Bergson: My cello teacher is from Barcelona...that means she is from Catalonia....same issue as Baque country...they don't like the central government
[13:38] Stranger Nightfire: That's the word I couldn't think of Catalonia
[13:38] Particle Physicist Bejiita (bejiita.imako): there is one company i know about from Mondragon - Fagor that make houshold appliances like washing machines
[13:38] herman Bergson: I know...
[13:39] Particle Physicist Bejiita (bejiita.imako): and stoves
[13:39] herman Bergson: That problematic election...what was his name...had to go into exile to Buxxels...
[13:39] herman Bergson: was convicted in Spain...
[13:39] Max Chatnoir: The address of the company is the name of the Priest
[13:39] Stranger Nightfire: I don't know a whole lot about it but another interesting story was that of a pharmaceutical company in Switzerland who's overpaid highly educated executives had driven it into the ground and made it bankrupt And they decided to take it over and run it themselves and made it a success
[13:39] herman Bergson: Mondragon is a village
[13:40] Particle Physicist Bejiita (bejiita.imako): ok
[13:41] herman Bergson: But the main point here is.... is this an alternative for pure capitalism and extreme communism?
[13:42] Stranger Nightfire: As I have mentioned before, what the Soviet and Maoist type communists did was simply replace the capitalist hierarchy with a bureaucratic hierarchy of government officials
[13:42] herman Bergson: In other words...do we have more options to live together in peace and prosperity than capitialism?
[13:43] Max Chatnoir: Yes, is there a better model?
[13:43] Particle Physicist Bejiita (bejiita.imako): i hope so
[13:43] herman Bergson: I agree Stranger....unfortunately...
[13:43] herman Bergson: Maybe the basic question is.....
[13:44] herman Bergson: Why do people have so much difficulty with sharing .....
[13:44] Max Chatnoir: https://www.mondragon-corporation.com/en/
[13:44] Particle Physicist Bejiita (bejiita.imako): aaa i just found that too
[13:44] Particle Physicist Bejiita (bejiita.imako): their homepage
[13:45] Max Chatnoir: Looks like it might come is several languages
[13:45] Particle Physicist Bejiita (bejiita.imako): yes
[13:45] herman Bergson: As I said....Why do people have so much difficulty with sharing .....?????
[13:46] herman Bergson: And love to have more and more than.....
[13:47] herman Bergson: Is it in our genes?
[13:47] .: Beertje :. (beertje.beaumont): it's about surviving I gues, animals won't share their food either
[13:47] herman Bergson: Is it a psychological shortcoming?
[13:47] Particle Physicist Bejiita (bejiita.imako): https://fagorarrasate.com/. The company I know about from Mondragon
[13:47] Particle Physicist Bejiita (bejiita.imako): and seems they make MUCH more than washing machines
[13:47] Stranger Nightfire: I recommend the music videos of a Welsh singer-songwriter and video maker named Ren
[13:48] herman Bergson: I agree Beertje....but we are just a little more than animals...we have a reason...(which doesn't help much :-)
[13:48] Stranger Nightfire: Including a series called Money Game Part 1 2 and 3
[13:49] herman Bergson: And what will bring us that music, Stranger?
[13:50] Stranger Nightfire: They're all on Youtube
[13:50] herman Bergson: ok...
[13:50] Particle Physicist Bejiita (bejiita.imako): ok
[13:50] Stranger Nightfire: Money game part one money game part two money game Part 3
[13:50] Stranger Nightfire: Seems my voice recognition software can't decide between numerals and words
[13:51] Stranger Nightfire: use the numerals
[13:51] herman Bergson: It's ok..I don't mind :-)
[13:51] Particle Physicist Bejiita (bejiita.imako): aaa so this is how it began, I think Fagor was the first company in that conglomerate
[13:51] Particle Physicist Bejiita (bejiita.imako): Talleres Arrasate Cooperativa Industrial (TACI) was founded; this was the original name of the present FAGOR ARRASATE
The founders of the company acquired a mechanical workshop in Mondragón, with the aim of creating a cooperative dedicated to the manufacture of tools and accessories for machine tools.
[13:52] Particle Physicist Bejiita (bejiita.imako): hence the name of the corporate
[13:52] Max Chatnoir: Well, it looks like a big corporation, so maybe it works! From the web site: Sustainability is a strategic mainstay for MONDRAGON. Our mission is based on decent, quality employment, health and safety at work, education, sustainable consumption, innovation as the lever for a digital and eco-friendly transition, and support for social and community infrastructures and initiatives. In short, responding to society’s needs lies right at the heart of our Social Transformation.
[13:52] herman Bergson: Nice work Bejiita :-)
[13:53] Particle Physicist Bejiita (bejiita.imako): aaah, interesting, now i kow the story of that one company,
[13:53] Particle Physicist Bejiita (bejiita.imako): the brand is familiar to me but they were THAT big
[13:53] herman Bergson: Relate that to the company you work at....could be interesting :-)
[13:54] Particle Physicist Bejiita (bejiita.imako): as said Fagor to me is stoves and washing machines
[13:54] Max Chatnoir: So they've branched out a lot?
[13:54] herman Bergson: Let's keep that for Thursday, Max :-)
[13:55] Particle Physicist Bejiita (bejiita.imako): yes, they make industrial presses and such also and I think the solar thing u named before in the beginning also might be them
[13:55] herman Bergson: Thank you all again for your attention...
[13:55] Particle Physicist Bejiita (bejiita.imako): https://fagorarrasate.com/solution/solar-roll-forming/
[13:55] herman Bergson: Class dismissed...
[13:55] .: Beertje :. (beertje.beaumont): Very interesting again, thank you Herman
[13:56] Particle Physicist Bejiita (bejiita.imako): yes!
[13:56] Particle Physicist Bejiita (bejiita.imako): ㋡
[13:58] .: Beertje :. (beertje.beaumont): Bergie has a lot to read:))
[13:58] herman Bergson: It was Stranger who brought it to my attention!
[13:58] Particle Physicist Bejiita (bejiita.imako): this was a revelation to me for suree
[13:58] Max Chatnoir: Thanks for following up, Herman!
