In “Kwanzaa: A Celebration of Family, Community and Culture” Maulana Karenga (the creator of Kwanzaa) describes cooperative economics (ujamaa) as a sum of the three main concepts of “shared wealth and work”, “economic self-reliance” and “obligation of generosity”.

Regarding the concept of “economic self-reliance”, Karenga defines it as “the building, strengthening and controlling of the economics of our own community”.

And to be clear, this act of cultural self-sufficiency does not mean that we must refuse and exclude assistance from other people, or not work with other cultures.

We absolutely must work with all people and cultures for the good of our community, others and the world; but we must do so without losing our identity, goals and self-reliance in the process.

Reference:  “Kwanzaa: A Celebration of Family, Community and Culture”, by Maulana Karenga,   University of Sankore Press, Los Angeles, California.