Subsidiary responsibility of the members of agricultural cooperative societies

Abstract

The research subject is social relations in the field of establishing and applying the subsidiary responsibility measures in agricultural cooperative societies. The purposes of the research are: legal assessment of the provisions of the Federal law “ On agricultural cooperation” about subsidiary responsibility of members of cooperative societies and their application by courts; analysis of doctrinal views of lawyers and economists on the problems of subsidiary responsibility in general and such responsibility in agricultural cooperative societies in particular; development of scientifically grounded suggestions on the improvement of legislation in this sphere which will allow correcting law-enforcement practice. Using general and specific legal methods of research, the author arrives at the conclusion that the proposals about the cancellation of subsidiary responsibility in agricultural cooperative societies can hardly be implemented in the current conditions. In this situation it seems more reasonable to correct the provisions of the current legislation in the following directions: equal responsibility of all members of a cooperative society should be established in the Law rather than that depending on their share; it should be clearly stated that subsidiary responsibility of the members of the cooperative society is not solidary; the order of making additional contributions for covering losses should be regulated in detail; subsidiary responsibility for the cooperative society’s debts should be imposed not only the newly adopted members, but also on the leaving ones (for losses formed during their membership) during five years upon their withdrawal. The authors substantiate constructive ideas proposed earlier in specific literature, and formulate new suggestions which can make agricultural and consumer cooperative societies more attractive for agricultural workers.