Abstract EN:

This thesis studies from an historical point of view, themission and functioning of an employers professional organization joining retailers co-operatives. In an introductory chapter, it analyses the specific features of its members - retailers co-operatives - and their evolution since the orogins at the end of the 19th century until the early nineties, in connection with the changes of trade distribution. The first part examines the traditional mission of representation and defence fulfilled by the federal union of retailers co-operatives ("ufcc"), a french "association" governed by the law of july 1st 1901. "ufcc" as the representative of retailers co-operatives, who belong both to the world of trade and to the world of co-operatives is a member of the organization uniting all french trade enterprises (itself a branch of the "cnpf" the french union of private employers) as well as the organisation including all the co-operatives movements. The second part analyses the part played by "ufcc" as an agent participating in state functions. In that respect the author makes a distinction between a) participation in the economic and social policy of the government by an active lobbying inside bodies such as the "conseil superieur de la cooperation" (higher council of cooperation) the "commissions du plan" (planning committees) and the "commissions d'urbanisme commercial" (commissions of trade city planning(, b) participation in the implementation of the policy already decided by the government which has resulted into a process of cooperation with the state authorities, especially in the fields dealing with adapting the "plan comptable general" (general accounting rules) to co-operatives and so far, has led to the setting up of a price control regulation.