Mutual Societies Research Articles

Mutual insurance risks

The article considers the risk status of mutual insurance organizations. The growing popularity of mutual insurance among representatives of the field of material production, carriers, tourism business and other market participants, on the one hand, and the widespread opinion about the increased stability of the activities of a mutual insurance organization, on the other hand, sets the task of determining the risk status of a mutual insurance company, which will make it possible to formulate the main directions of risk–oriented regulation of such organizations. According to the author, the mutual insurance organization is subject to a significant number of various risks of risks, both event and economic and social. It is suggested that at least the following risk groups are inherent in a mutual insurance organization: risks due to the nature of insurance; risks arising from reciprocity as a technology; market risks of the mutual insurance organization; risks of an individual participant in mutual insurance in the part affecting the interests of the functioning of mutual insurance. Analysis of these risk groups makes it possible to come to the conclusion that the risk management of mutual insurance organizations should be built differently for organizations uniting individuals or large legal entities. For mutual companies of individuals, it is necessary to provide for built–in risk management mechanisms; for mutual societies that unite legal entities, risk management should be systemic and combine both the risks of the organization and its participants (enterprises).

ТЕОРЕТИЧНІ АСПЕКТИ РОЗВИТКУ «ТРЕТЬОГО СЕКТОРУ» І СУБ’ЄКТІВ «СОЦІАЛЬНОЇ ЕКОНОМІКИ» В УКРАЇНІ

The article analyzes certain theoretical aspects of the development of «the third sector» and subjects of social economy. The terms «social economy» and «third sector» have long been in circulation in Western economic science, legislation and business practice and today are an important component of the developed countries’ economies. However, for Ukraine they are relatively new, uncommon and insufficiently researched, which, in turn, creates obstacles for their active development. Therefore, the analysis of existing approaches in European economic science and the development of theoretical aspects of the «third sector» and social economy development in Ukraine is a very relevant and important scientific task. The peculiarities of use of the term «social economy» in two different meanings have been established. The first is related to the general theoretical aspects of macroeconomics and certain theoretical and political economic concepts of the «improvement» of capitalism. The second is related to practical embodiment of the idea of mutual aid in the form of a special type of enterprises (organizations) that have a «non-capitalist nature» (do not want to make a profit) and form a separate, special sector of the market economy, consisting of real business entities whose activities are based on the idea of mutual assistance and has a clear social direction. Within the social economy sector, another term stood out and became widespread, which is «solidarity economy» – as a part of the social economy at grassroots level (in individual territorial communities and on the basis of other stable groups of people united by a certain sign of solidarity). Therefore, in the literature, the terms «social» and «solidarity» economy are found both separately and together when it comes to organizations or enterprises of social (solidarity) economy (SSE organizations or ESS). The terms «social economy» and «third sector» are quite close in meaning, because they unite specific non-state, non-profit, socially oriented organizations. However, «the third sector» is a category that includes, but is not limited to, social economy entities. In other words, «social economy» is the largest and most important part of «the third sector». The social economy subjects traditionally include cooperatives, mutual societies, fund associations and social enterprises. All of them have non-profit economic nature and specific legal regulation. In the article, significant attention is paid to the disclosure of these features, common features and differences of various subjects of the social economy.

Mutualism and welfare: experiences, debates and policies on social security sustainability in Portugal (1860-1934)

Mutualism is widely recognised as key to the origin of welfare states in central and northern Europe. However, there is little knowledge about this relationship in the southern region, where welfare systems took on a particular character (Minesso, 2018). This article provides an overview of the long-term relationship between the mutualist movement and the emergence of a welfare system in Portugal. It is hoped that this study will contribute to our understanding of the agency of social movements in the design of social policies, taking into account the Portuguese case study. Following Topalov’s analytical model (Topalov, 1999), it examines the mutualist movement as a network that fostered social reform. To this end, the resolutions of mutualist congresses were analysed, from the 1865 1st Social Congress to the 1934 Mutualist Congress, the last before the 1974 revolution. Additionally, official surveys and social policies were examined from the first 1860 survey of mutual aid associations to the extinction of the Compulsory Social Insurance Institute in 1933. The relational analysis of this evidence proves the importance of mutual societies as a laboratory of experimentation, observation, and statistical inquiry into social welfare, promoting consensus-building on state intervention in the sphere of social security, dealing with specific social risks. These findings contribute substantially to our understanding on the relationships between social mobilisation and public policies in a Southern setting during the liberal period.

CONFLITO E COOPERAÇÃO: AS RELAÇÕES E AS CONDIÇÕES DE TRABALHO NO PORTO DE FORTALEZA (1912-1933)

The present article aims to analyze the workers of the port of Fortaleza who were part of the mutual association Deus e Mar, Deus e União and the STPC, and who strengthened themselves collectivity through self-knowledge and the identification of common needs and struggles in the process of becoming a social class. For this purpose, I will study the labor relations established between dockworkers and contractors in Fortaleza and the organization of practices put into use in the mutual societies (medical assistance, funeral aid, etc.), resistance (strikes, demonstrations, shutdowns) and negotiations with the contractors and shipping companies, which aim to improve the living and working conditions of the dockers. I use as sources the newspapers O Legionário, Folha da Tarde, O Correio do Ceará, O Nordeste, A Tribuna, O Trabalhador Gráfico, O correio da Tarde and seek to understand the work relations among the dockers, based on their experiences, using the concepts of E. P. Thompson.

O Rosário e suas contas: redes associativas e cidadania de membros da Irmandade de Nossa Senhora do Rosário do Pelourinho (Salvador, 1880-1930)

The practice of affiliation to black brotherhoods and other mutual support associations was recurrent in the 19th century among Africans and Afro-Brazilians. Often it happened as a way of accumulating not only benefits, but also prestige in society. In the city of Salvador it was no different and some researchers have highlighted these associative networks. In this article, we investigate the profile of some brothers and sisters of the brotherhood of Rosário at Portas do Carmo and we analyze the different meanings of the proximities established between members of the brotherhood with the mutual societies emerging in the Bahian capital from the second half of the 19th century, as well as with other Afro-religious devotional spaces. Indeed, we understand that the trajectories of subjects associated with the Afro-Bahian brotherhood also included involvement with post-abolition political and social activism.

Toward a post‐neoliberal social citizenship?

Toward a post‐neoliberal social citizenship?

MUTUAL CREDIT SOCIETIES OF NADDNIEPER UKRAINE IN THE CREDIT SYSTEM OF THE RUSSIAN EMPIRE (SECOND HALF OF 19th — EARLY 20th CENTURY)

Abstract. The problem of attracting financial resources for the growth of small and medium-sized businesses was and remains relevant at all stages of the market economy development, which actualizes market research in the historical context. The article provides a historical retrospective to the problem of the mutual credit societies (MCS) creation and activity in 9 Ukrainian governorates, that were part of the Russian Empire in the second half of the 19th — early 20th centuries. The present paper makes attempt to examine the mechanisms and structure of lending, which was carried out by MCS in general. The objective is to establish the state of MCS’ development in the Ukrainian governorates. The paper also identifies the role of MCS in the lending system that had developed in the second half of the 19th — early 20th centuries in the Russian Empire. It was used several scientific methods which includes an interdisciplinary approach and are characteristic of research in the economic history field. Various historical sources like published statistical data and archival documents and materials were used. The study has found that the establishment and activity of MCS were focused on providing short-term loans to small and medium-sized businesses, that has been operating in governmental and provincial uyezd towns and cities where the banking system was poorly developed. It was carried out the analysis of development dynamic of quantitative and qualitative indicators of MCS activity. It was determined that the MCS share in the credit system of the Russian Empire constituted 5% in 1914. The study has found that rate of the MCS creating practice was influenced by many factors, which were mainly associated with unsuccessful financial reforms, belated legal regulation and weak episodic state support. The change in the structure of the credit-deposit and other operations provided by MCS has been processed. The range of banking services provided by MCS to their members and other clients was investigated. It has been proved the value of the historical experience of MCS crediting and the possibilities of its use to provide financial support for the development of domestic business are outlined. Keywords: Russian Empire, credit, crediting, loan, bank, mutual credit societies (MCS), banking system. JEL Classification B17, N24 Formulas: 0; fig.: 8; tabl.: 1; bibl.: 35.

Legal Regulation of Bodies of the Mutual Insurance Society

Mutual insurance societies constitute a small part of the Polish insurance market, dominated by insurers operating in the form of joint-stock companies. However, recent years have seen a kind of renaissance of mutual insurance, including the establishment of mutual insurance companies for specific industries. At the same time, the legal framework for this form of insurance activity remains incomplete and does not keep up with the changing market environment. It applies, in particular, to the regulations of the bodies of mutual societies, which do not comply with the dynamic modifications introduced in commercial law in recent years. The author of the article discusses the basic issues related to the design and operation of the bodies of a mutual society, reviews the historical changes to those regulations, analyzes the application of joint-stock company regulations to bodies of mutual societies and finally formulates de lege ferenda conclusions.

Verkhneudinsky Branch of the Russian-Asian Bank in Credit and Financial Market of Western Transbaikalia in 1911-1914

The analysis of the activities of the Verkhneudinsky branch of the Russian-Asian Bank (until 1910 - Russian-Chinese) on the credit and financial market of Western Transbaikalia in 1911-1914 is presented, its influence on the development of trade and industry of the region is determined. Based on the reporting and office records stored in the State Archive of the Republic of Buryatia and the Russian State Historical Archive, the dynamics of the active and passive operations of the banking branch in the context of the all-Russian industrial expansion in 1909-1913 was analyzed. It was established that the Verkhneudinsky branch of the bank espouse cautious financial policy, issuing loans to its customers at inflated interest rates. It is proved that, despite the favorable situation in the country's economy during the indicated period, the credit and financial institution in Verkhneudinsk has largely lost its dominant position in the banking services market of Western Transbaikalia. According to the authors, this circumstance was the result of a sharp increase in competition in connection with the emergence in the fairly small financial and credit market of the region of two new banking institutions - the Verkhneudinsky and Kyakhtinsky mutual credit societies.

Networks and Innovations in Modern Insurance Business

The presented study examines such important modern trends in the development of the insurance business as mutual liability insurance with a network organization of participants and an innovative combination of insurance and charitable activities. Aim. The study aims to analyze some recent trends in the insurance business and to make substantiated proposals on their implementation in the form of mutual (non-commercial) insurance. Tasks. The authors examine the international experience of mutual insurance and identify innovative directions; substantiate prerequisites for the creation of new professional liability insurance societies based on the principles of mutual insurance; consider a practical example of a successful combination of insurance and charitable activities; forecast the prospects of using modern information technologies and network models in insurance and provide recommendations for further scientific and practical research. Methods . This study uses analysis of public information and subsequent synthesis of new knowledge in the form of expert proposals and forecasts. During the study, the authors examine scientific publications on insurance, federal law, international information on mutual insurance, and data from an innovative startup website. Results . The basic principles, advantages, and drawbacks of mutual insurance are described, and its role and significance in the international insurance market are shown. It is established that mutual insurance is most promising for a number of areas of liability insurance - primarily those focusing on the professional commonality of participants (members of a mutual society). The authors propose using information technologies to unite potential participants and organize the actual activities of modern mutual societies for the purpose of insurance against professional liability risks. Indicators and a general business model of an existing innovative insurance startup are provided. Conclusions . The emergence and successful operation of an innovative insurance startup has empirically set new promising trends in the insurance business, particularly in mutual insurance. As nonprofit insurance organizations develop in the future, they will be able to use modern information technologies and innovative ways of organizing insurance business. It is reasonable to propose promising directions for further scientific and practical research, including interdisciplinary research.

Evolución de la gestión del riesgo en el sector agrario español: De la economía preindustrial a los seguros

From a long-term perspective (Early Modern Age until the Spanish Civil War), we analyse how the rural world confronted contingent risks that could cause serious material losses. For the fifteenth to eighteenth centuries, our research relied on notarial sources based on leases. For the nineteenth and twentieth centuries, we used a variety of sources, such as company statutes and balance sheets, trade journals, the Gaceta de Madrid and official insurance statistics. The analysis shows how typical Modern Age practices continued into the twentieth century. The Late Modern period was characterised by difficulty in introducing agricultural insurance, a low level of participation by private insurance companies and recourse to local and provincial mutual societies. The disinterest of the general insurance companies in covering agricultural risk was reflected in the insignificant weight of the corresponding premiums in the overall company figures, with the modest exception of livestock insurance. Mutualism, especially in northern Spain, sought support from public institutions such as provincial councils. Finally, in the first decades of the twentieth century, major agricultural employers exerted pressure on the State to progressively assume responsibility for agricultural coverage.

Reasonability of development of agro-insurance in Russian Federation on the basis of mutual insurance

Article deals with the justification of reasonability of agro insurance risk-management development in Russian Federation on the basis of mutual insurance. Nowadays this kind of insurance is carried out only by the commercial insurers, and thus are created conditions for the non-rational usage both private and government finance directing for the insurance premium. At the same time there is a successful practice of some developed countries and also Russian historical experience of mutual insurance of agricultural risks. The authors suggest to develop mutual insurance societies of agricultural risks not excepting the possibility of insurance of such kind of risks by the commercial insurers. It is pointed out that in RF mutual insurance societies for successful development will need the support of the state in the form of organizational and fiscal facilities. Development of mutual insurance societies of agricultural risks will prevent transformation of the part of the finance into the dividend for the owners of the insurance companies, and also activates the competition in the sector of agro insurance.

Credit unions in Croatia: challenges ahead and far forward

Credit unions as one of the prominent examples of mutual or cooperative societies in the financial sector share important tasks ranging from financial intermediation for different affinity groups, fostering financial inclusion and community development to social cohesion. In CEE countries, the mutual and cooperative sector in general and credit unions, as well, are less developed compared to advanced economies. This is due to historical and political reasons but also because of competitiveness in the financial sector, financial integration, regulatory requirements, low level of consumer protection and financial literacy. Low interest rate environment, digitalisation, development of the FinTech sector and demanding regulatory compliance could pose diverse effects on prospects of development of credit unions. The aim of this paper is to discuss development prospects of credit unions in Croatia from the perspective of regulatory changes, contemporary challenges in the financial sector, role in society and consumer perspective.

Experience of Good Practice in an Occupational Accident Mutual Insurance Society, Based on the Voice of Patients and Professionals

In Spain, the protection of workers’ health is organized through what are known as occupational accident mutual insurance societies. While health protection is a fundamental issue within a mutual society, dimensions, such as patient quality and safety, are measured in the same way as in the conventional healthcare sector. However, in mutual societies, it is traditionally acknowledged that experiences of medical evaluation systems of healthcare provision and quality improvement are less frequent. The following is an example of how a Quality Plan has been structured within an organization with these characteristics, and instruments and measures have been developed to capture information in decision making from the perspective of patients and professionals. The Quality Plan represents the ongoing commitment of this organization to achieve patient-centered care. These changes revolve around these measures and, therefore, it is defined as a good practice.

Development of French Civil Society: The View of a Statistician

The article highlights first the historical background: two long-term trends have most strongly influenced the development of the non-profit sector throughout its millennial history. Ап analysis of the French civil society nowadays is made on the basis of the System of national accounts concept using the most recent statistics on this sector ignored by the statistical system two decades ago. The number, size and hu­man resources of civil society organizations (CSOs) are analysed first, then their financial resources by public and private origin and their economic contribution and social impact . The final part of the research deals with recent1 trends and issues. The evolution of the French non-profit sector during the Millennium decade is outlined. Then focuses on the impact of the financial, economic and social crisis on the French third sector is highlighted. The sharing of educational, health and social services provision between the state, the local governments and the civil society obviously depends on functions that have been devolved to local governments as well as on the level of externalization or subcontracting which authorities consider to be relevant. Recourse to the non-profit sector makes it possible to reduce public employment, which is very high in France. Grass-roots associations provide local services adapted to the local population through voluntary work. That is the reason why the central and local governments and social security affords an almost total financing to the welfare CSOs and a partial financing to the others while the public sector regulates the CSOs and guarantees universal access to the services provided as well as the equal treatment of all users. The whole civil society sector associations and foundations is currently looking for its place in the public sphere, either in close partnership with public authorities or within the social and solidarity economy with the cooperatives and the mutual societies. Civil society organizations have demonstrated their ability to respond to the new needs of a more diverse population, and they have proved their resilience during less favourable times.

Reseña de Sindicatos y turismo de masas en las Baleares. Del franquismo a la democracia

Durante las décadas previas a la Guerra Civil en las islas Baleares, y debido a un marco económico fundamentado en la modernización fabril en municipios de Mallorca y Menorca, existían comités de partidos y sindicatos, mutuas y cooperativas. El desvanecimiento de esta industria, con el boom turístico, iniciado con el Plan de Estabilización de 1959, implicó la progresiva desaparición del sistema obrero insular.El libro, Sindicatos y turismo de masas en las Baleares. Del franquismo a la democracia, se centra en la historia del sindicalismo de la hostelería en Baleares, que resurgió de las elecciones sindicales de 1975 y que irrumpió de una organización sindical de los trabajadores hoteleros mallorquines.

Churches and Adult Education in the Edwardian Era: Learning from the Experiences of Hampshire Congregationalists

Through their enthusiastic embrace of the doctrine of the ‘institutional church’, late Victorian and Edwardian Congregationalists demonstrated their commitment to, inter alia, the intellectual development of church members and adherents. Many churches, large and small, sponsored mutual improvement societies, literary and debating societies and programmes of public lectures, as well as ad hoc talks, covering every conceivable subject from the natural sciences to contemporary social and political issues. What motivated Congregationalists to engage in activities of this kind, and to what extent were they seen as an integral part of their religious vocation? In considering these questions, evidence is drawn from initiatives of two Congregational churches in Edwardian Hampshire: London Street, Basingstoke's Mutual Improvement Society and Avenue, Southampton's annual programme of lectures. What emerges is an approach to ministry that blurred the boundary between the sacred and the secular and a gradual weakening of commitment as churches were superseded by secular providers. In reviewing an under-explored aspect of the relationship between religion and education, the article serves as an addition to the limited literature on this subject.

Workers or Investors? Investigating the Reciprocity Aspects among Greek Social Enterprises Members

In Europe 160 million people are members of social economy enterprises and mutual societies. Members that work at social enterprises usually are bound with an employee relationship with their organization; on the other hand participating in a social enterprise could be their only chance to find a job, especially for economies that face a long-term recession such as the Greek economy. Social enterprises and entrepreneurs invest in reciprocity which represents that positive actions will inspire reciprocal positive actions. The main objective of this study is to examine the effect of reciprocity on members’ decision either to invest in social enterprises or to work for them acquiring in both cases the necessary shares. For this reason, a survey was conducted among Greek members of social enterprises listed in the Greek Social enterprises directory, to investigate their aspects about reciprocity and if these aspects affect their decision to work in a social enterprise or support financially them. The survey process returned 142 fully completed questionnaires. The analysis identified a sub group (5 over 27 items) of the questions used to measure reciprocity that can be used to classify participants into shareholders - members (investors) and shareholders - workers in social enterprises. It is worth mentioning that sex or other demographic characteristics of the respondents do not affect this classification while there are only aspects of positive reciprocity that have either positive or negative effect on the possibility to work in social enterprises. Social entrepreneurs and the Greek state could use these findings in order to direct and manage their expansion efforts.

Una aproximación al mundo del dinero en el Madrid isabelino: el Banco de Economías

Este trabajo dirige su atención al fenómeno de las cajas de ahorro privadas constituidas en Madrid durante los años sesenta del siglo XIX y, en especial, a una de las entidades más significativas: el Banco de Economías. Pretendemos aproximarnos al estrato intermedio del incipiente sistema bancario español de aquellas fechas. Un estrato donde también se encuentran sociedades de seguros mutuos o banqueros, prestamistas y comerciantes particulares capaces de componer una red abierta a la captación del ahorro local y al interés de otras sociedades de crédito situadas en la cúspide bancaria. De este modo centramos nuestro interés en los rasgos genéricos de tales establecimientos y en las lineas particulares descritas por el Banco de Economías, desde su constitución en 1860 hasta su crisis y liquidación durante los años del Sexenio Democrático.

The Progress of Education in the Northern Coalfield Before 1870

Although the literacy of miners lagged behind county and national averages, there was educational progress in the Northern coalfield before 1870. Progress came partly from the private adventure schools and the Sunday schools, which originated in the colliery communities and which have been underestimated by historians. Evidence from parish registers shows that the private adventure schools that proliferated in the collieries, especially from the 1820s, helped to maintain and raise literacy rates in some villages, but were unjustly criticized by educators who favoured state public elementary schools. The colliery Sunday schools, particularly those of the Methodists, were also important in developing the ability to read. The spread of Methodism amongst miners gave an important stimulus to literacy, which resulted in greater support for adult education in the coalfield. The growth of mechanics’ institutes, reading rooms and mutual improvement societies testified to a growing enthusiasm amongst miners for education before 1870. Despite the extraordinary population growth, especially in Durham, and extensive migration of workers in the coal industry, educational progress in the coalfield is evident particularly in the late 1850s and 1860s.