During the 1980s the private pension schemes expanded and the small cooperative was continually losing its financial advantages.

Mr. Gorbachev has embraced some of those measures, including new laws permitting individuals and small cooperatives to open private businesses.

In the system we have developed, all economic enterprises are to be small cooperatives, owned by their workers and by no one else.

Today, close to 100,000 Danes own shares in the hundreds of small cooperatives that operate 4,700 windmills here.

"But doing this can be quite expensive," he said, "so most small and midsize cooperatives tend to manage their own annual elections."

There are other smaller cooperatives just along the docks with also provide boating services.

He is encouraging small cooperatives to fill the gaps in consumer services and light industry.

A series of new laws beginning in November 1986 encouraged small cooperatives and individuals to compete with the state in offering these services.

As well as many other small usually community-based cooperatives.

Most of this production is done in families or small cooperatives.