szövetkeznek

Szövetkeznek is a Hungarian verb meaning “they join forces,” “they cooperate,” or “they form a cooperative.” It is the third-person plural present tense of szövetkezik and is used to describe both informal collaboration and the creation of formal cooperative associations (szövetkezet).

Etymology and meaning: the verb derives from szövetkezik, which is connected to the concepts of cooperation and alliance, and is closely related to the noun szövetkezet (cooperative) and to szövetség (alliance). The sense emphasizes a voluntary joining of efforts to pursue common economic or social goals, often culminating in a legal entity like a cooperative.

Usage and context: szövetkeznek is used in economic, social, and political contexts to describe groups—such as farmers, producers, or consumers—coming together to organize or operate collectively. It can refer to forming a formal cooperative as well as to cooperative behavior more generally, for example when firms or individuals collaborate on a project or share resources.

Historical context: in Hungary, the szövetkezeti movement gained prominence in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, influencing the rural and urban economies through agricultural, consumer, and credit cooperatives. During the socialist period, many cooperatives were integrated into state-managed structures. Since the transition to a market economy in the 1990s, cooperatives have undergone restructurings, with some dissolving and others continuing as formal szövetkezet (cooperatives) in various sectors.