szövetkezt

A szövetkezet, often translated as cooperative, is a business organization owned and democratically controlled by its members. These members typically share a common interest, such as economic, social, or cultural needs. The primary goal of a cooperative is to provide benefits to its members rather than to maximize profits for external shareholders. This can manifest in various ways, such as offering goods or services at lower prices, providing employment opportunities, or ensuring fair returns on member contributions.

Cooperatives are founded on a set of core principles, including voluntary and open membership, democratic member control, member economic participation, autonomy and independence, education, training, and information, cooperation among cooperatives, and concern for community. These principles guide the operation and governance of the organization.

There are numerous types of cooperatives, each serving different purposes. Examples include consumer cooperatives, which purchase goods and services for their members; worker cooperatives, where the employees own and manage the business; housing cooperatives, which provide affordable housing; and agricultural cooperatives, where farmers pool resources for production, processing, and marketing. The legal structure and regulations governing cooperatives vary by country.