Managing co-operation: trust and power in Ghanaian associations

Through a rich empirical study of forms of collective action in Ghana, this paper examines how groups sustain co-operation in the absence of strong legal institutions and mechanisms (such as legal contracts or regulated loan finance) that are often taken for granted in most ‘western’ economies. It presents evidence from case studies of micro-saving groups, palm oil processing groups and transport associations, which indicate that co-operation is based on trust and power, both of which are based on culturally specific norms. Decisions to co-operate are shaped by a combination of conscious calculations, habitual actions and unquestioning compliance or obedience. The way that trust and power are articulated also varies according to local context, and attempts to facilitate and support co-operative activities have to build on the existing co-operative structures that are embedded in the local, culturally specific, social relations.