Competition seems to arise when there is perceived scarcity, both in nature and society.

Maybe nature wouldn't have evoluted predators if there had always been abundance of vegetable food. But I guess that because life is ever-expanding, it eventually hit the limits of space on this planet. ;-)

However, in an ideal world, there would only be cooperation, because competition is a waste of resources after all. If BMW and Mercedes both brood over their new engine technology in secret, many wheels are being invented twice. Ideally, these resources would better have been invested into other areas to bring humanity forward.

I'm aware history seems to show that it's competition that is more successful in bringing forward our social and technological development. But I believe that's because of human weakness. It seems we need pressure and kicks in the butt to make the best out of us.

But then again, technology seems to hinder our spiritual development. And it's first and foremost our spiritual development that can help us in overcoming exactly those mentioned human weaknesses.

The more we are forced to compete, the more we are limited in our beliefs, the more we are forced to battle for ground in already existing realms. But as spiritual and imaginative beings, we should always and easily be able to create new realms that we can nourish, cultivate and grow.

To estimate each case on its own meaning and benefit.

There are cases when the cooperation not only help, but also encourages (one or more individuals or a group supports, advices, improves motivation, contributes on preparation for competition) and cases when the competition not only encourages (by the anticipation and/or results of performance, even if isn't indispensable a triumph), but also helps and motivates for toward evolving.

If competition is associated with cooperation for fairplay from both the competitors and manifestation of reciprocal valuing, these grow the satistaction and selfvaluing and ofers a higher basis for the following activity. A better competitor than you is the best teacher.

The cooperation in a team or group don't exclude the competition within a members. Only it may be open, goodwillingly and fairplay from each. This is the way for growing the performance of each member and of whole group.

There is a particular case of the competition with yourself, maybe the mostly precious: to surpass oneself on some good performance and to vanquish oneself. It isn't easy, but is possible with vouchsafeness without culpabilization and by cooperating witb subconsciousness for descover and eliminate the blocking fears and beliefs, for improve the selfesteem and selfconfidence. Such, both competition and cooperation are constituents of personal development.

I don't think so because it is similar to comparing oranges to apples and saying which is better, both are needed in the free world.

Cooperation is good at times, but without competition there is not much reason to do anything, but then without cooperation we can't do anything. Basically cooperation gets things done, but competition is incentive.