Practice Questions

Japan uses a three-tiered credit system in its co-operative framework.

They are recognized as pioneers in establishing Japan’s co-operative movement.

The co-operative movement in Japan began in the mid-1800s, focusing on agriculture, fisheries, and trade.

Granges are farmers’ co-operative unions in the USA focusing on marketing, education, and social activities.

Don Cerutti started the first Catholic-oriented communal bank in 1908 to provide credit with moral and social guidance.

UNICOOP is Japan’s national federation of consumer co-operatives, established in 1961.

Woolen Berg started the first rural bank in Loreggia (1883) to provide financial services to farmers and rural communities

Lougi Luzzatti founded the first co-operative bank in Milan to provide credit to urban workers and small businesses.

He played a pioneering role in establishing co-operative credit and marketing organizations in the USA.

The Co-operative Party in the UK represented the political wing of the co-operative movement to promote co-op principles in politics.

Chicago became the hub for livestock marketing co-operatives in the USA to support farmers in selling and distribution.

Folket is a prominent insurance co-operative society in Sweden, providing mutual insurance services.

Linkoping is known for co-operative collective farming in Sweden, promoting shared agricultural production.

Robert Owen (1771–1858), a Welsh social reformer, is considered the father of the cooperative movement in England.

He promoted the idea of cooperative communities and worker-owned enterprises.

His efforts laid the foundation for the modern cooperative movement in England.

Other options:

Dr. William King – Promoted co-operatives in England but came after Owen.

Raiffeisen – Father of the rural credit cooperative movement in Germany.

C.R. Fay – Known for cooperative studies in India.

So, the title “father of the cooperative in England” belongs to Robert Owen.

The Rochdale Society of Equitable Pioneers was founded in Rochdale, England, in 1844. They are considered the pioneers of the modern cooperative movement, establishing principles that still guide cooperatives today.

Raiffeisen Banks were founded by Friedrich Wilhelm Raiffeisen to serve rural communities.

Their area of operation was usually limited to one village, or in the case of very small villages, two or three villages combined.

Purpose: Provide low-interest loans to farmers and villagers and protect them from exploitation by moneylenders.

Emphasis was on mutual help, community responsibility, and self-reliance.

This contrasts with Schulze-Delitzsch societies, which operated in urban areas with large memberships.

Luigi Luzzatti (1841–1927) was an Italian economist and politician known for promoting cooperative banking and social welfare.

In 1864, he established the first friendly society in Italy, which was a type of mutual aid society.

A Kibbutz is a communal settlement in Israel where members live and work together, sharing resources, property, and profits.

The system is based on cooperative principles, emphasizing collective ownership, equality, and mutual aid.

Members work in agriculture, industry, or services, and all major decisions are made democratically.

Kibbutzim played a key role in settling land, developing agriculture, and building the Israeli economy.

Another form of cooperative settlement in Israel is the Moshav, which is more individually based but still cooperative in marketing and purchasing.

The Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank (AIIB) was founded by China in 2015 with the goal of promoting infrastructure development and regional connectivity in Asia and beyond.

Key points:

Purpose: Finance projects in energy, transport, urban development, and regional integration.

Headquarters: Beijing, China.

Significance: Provides an alternative source of development financing in Asia alongside the World Bank and ADB, emphasizing collaboration among Asian countries.

The other options:

ADB – Established in 1966, headquartered in Manila, led by multiple countries.

World Bank – Global institution providing financial and technical assistance worldwide.

IMF – Provides monetary cooperation and financial stability, not primarily focused on infrastructure.

Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank (AIIB)

Charles Howrath served as the first President of the Rochdale Pioneers Equitable Co-operative Society, which was established in 1844. The society is famous for laying down the Rochdale Principles, such as democratic control, limited liability, and equitable distribution of surplus, which became the foundation of the modern cooperative movement.He is the constitution maker in REPS.

Robert Owen is known for his visionary ideas about social reform and cooperative communities, but many of his plans were considered idealistic and impractical at the time. Because of this, he is often referred to as a “Utopian Socialist”—someone who proposed a perfect society based on cooperation and social welfare, even if it was not fully achievable in practice.

Dr. William King was an early pioneer of the cooperative movement in England. To spread cooperative ideas among workers and the public, he started publishing a periodical called the “Cooperator”. This publication advocated cooperative principles, educated people about forming cooperative societies, and helped popularize the movement in the 19th century.

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