Financing and Marketing Management

Unit 1 - Cooperation

1.4. Democratic Member Control
The principle stresses that members ultimately control their cooperatives. It also emphasizes that they do so in a democratic manner. It also affirms the right of members to be actively involved in setting policies and making key decisions. This principle also reminds that elected representatives belong to members and all elected officials are accountable throughout their mandate, for their actions to the membership. The primary cooperatives are governed on the basis of one-member one-vote, irrespective of number of shares held by the members. This feature of cooperatives distinguishes itself from other forms of business organizations.