Workers' self-management

Workers' self-management or autogestion is form of economic system in which economic enterprises are democratically managed by the workers themselves. In autogestion, there is no hierarchy in workplace, i.e. there is no separate managerial level; thus autogestion forms an egalitarian environment where all workers are equal. This model of economic system was first proposed by French anarchist philosopher Pierre-Joseph Proudhon.

The concept of workers' self-management was put in practice by farm and industrial workers in the immediate aftermath of the Algerian struggle for independence. Workers took control of production without authoritative supervisors. The most complete experience of workers' self-management took place during the Spanish Revolution (1936-1939). Present day examples of workers' self-management are Hotel Bauen in Argentina, Mondragón Cooperative Corporation in Spain, AK Press etc.