5 Surprising Facts About Cooperatives: The Forgotten Shield of Economic Self-Defense

Introduction: The Forgotten Tool of Economic Self-Defense

Many Bulgarians feel powerless before a system that seems designed to benefit a privileged few. In an environment where the state apparatus and the media are used to crush any promising idea that does not serve the ruling elite, good initiatives are often stifled at birth. This sense of economic repression and injustice drives many capable and knowledgeable people to leave the country, while those who remain feel trapped.

In this context, the idea of a “cooperative” sounds to many like a relic of the past — a concept associated with socialism and the subsequent plundering of the 1990s. The reality, however, is entirely different. Around the world, the cooperative model is not a historical artifact but an exceptionally powerful and proven tool through which ordinary people reclaim economic power and build a more sustainable and just future. The truth about the scale and strength of cooperatives is far more impressive than most of us imagine.

#1: Cooperatives Are Not a Socialist Remnant, but a Global Phenomenon

In Bulgaria, the first association with the word “cooperative” is often negative, linked to a failed and exploited model from the recent past. But the global picture tells a completely different story. The cooperative model is centuries old and thriving across the world, particularly in the most developed economies.

Here are a few facts that shatter this stereotype:

• The first cooperative in the world was founded in Switzerland in 1472 — a full 20 years before the discovery of America.
• Today, cooperatives worldwide have over 1 billion members and generate an annual economic turnover of $2.6 trillion.
• They provide the livelihood of half of the world’s population.
• The country with the largest number of cooperative members is the United States, with 256 million members.

This shows that the cooperative is not a failed local experiment, but a timeless, successful, and global strategy for economic organization that empowers ordinary people against large capital.

#2: They Were Created as an Economic Shield Against Repression

The primary goal of the cooperative “The Defenders” is not merely to run a business but to serve as a protective mechanism. In Bulgaria, the model of economic repression is well-established: it begins with media attacks and paid influencers who smear the targeted organization. Once public opinion is turned negative, the state apparatus steps in — the State Agency for National Security, the tax authority, and the economic police. Bank accounts are frozen, and clients and partners withdraw out of fear of becoming targets themselves. This threat is not hypothetical — one telling case involves a senior executive at one of the country’s five largest corporations who was nearly fired simply for posting a photo with one of the project’s initiators.

The cooperative structure is designed specifically to counter this mechanism. Its strength lies in two key advantages. First, the unification of thousands of people makes it impossible to isolate and attack a single individual. Second, since profits are distributed among all members, the most common weapon for internal division — envy — is neutralized. When everyone wins together, it is much harder to turn them against each other.

The cooperative is the most suitable form of organization for creating an effective economic mechanism of resistance against repression — one that allows the number of participants to grow easily, while keeping decision-making power in the hands of the people themselves.

#3: The Main Goal Is Not Profit, but Building a Parallel System

For many, it may seem illogical, but short-term financial profit is not the main reason to participate in this cooperative. As stated in its documents, even with an optimistic 10% annual return, a minimum share of 1,000 BGN would bring only 100 BGN in profit. That is not the kind of sum that would motivate someone to join such a large-scale project.

The real “return on investment” lies in the long-term vision: building a parallel, independent, and sustainable system that benefits both members and society. The future goals include:

• Creating an independent economy with its own bank and investment fund. This is a strategic necessity, as conventional banks will increasingly refuse financing for projects that do not serve the interests of those in power.
• Developing farms that produce natural food, distributed directly to members as dividends. This is a direct counter-strategy against future consumption control through digital currencies, bypassing distribution chains and financial surveillance.
• Building an alternative educational system and healthcare institutions focused on prevention rather than treatment.

The ultimate goal is to return the means of production, education, and healthcare back into the hands of the people.

#4: Some of the Largest Companies in the World Are Actually Cooperatives

The notion that cooperatives are small, neighborhood associations is entirely false. On a global scale, some of the largest and most resilient business structures are cooperatives. Two examples illustrate this perfectly:

• Mondragon (Spain): This is the largest cooperative in the world and the seventh largest company in Spain, with over 80,000 members and an annual turnover of €14 billion. Its history is inspiring — it was founded in 1956 by a young priest in a town suffering from the aftermath of the civil war. Starting with a small technical college, he promoted the principle of “mutual aid” and solidarity to create a thriving economic ecosystem.
• Rabobank (Netherlands): This 125-year-old cooperative bank is one of the most stable financial institutions in the world. Unlike other banks, it has no shareholders, only members. This very structure helped it pass through the 2009 financial crisis without turbulence. Its global focus is on agriculture and the food industry — proof that the goals of “The Defenders” for food independence have a proven global model.

These examples prove that the cooperative model is not only crisis-resistant but also capable of achieving massive scale and economic success.

#5: Their First Mission Is to Save One of Bulgaria’s Most Ambitious Projects

The idea for the cooperative “The Defenders” is not just a theory. It has a very concrete first mission: to ensure the economic stability and completion of the businesses developing around the “Historical Park” in the village of Neofit Rilski.

The vision for this region is to become one of the most desirable places to live in the Balkans — featuring unique Bulgarian architecture, modern green infrastructure, and a thriving economy attracting over 2.5 million visitors annually. Precisely because the project is so ambitious and independent, it has become a target of the same repressive model described above. The attacks frightened investors and slowed its progress.

This is where the cooperative steps in — to provide the necessary capital and support, not from a single vulnerable investor, but from thousands of united people. In this way, it will not only resist the mafia-oligarchic system but also ensure that one of Bulgaria’s most significant modern projects is completed.

Conclusion: Strength Lies in Unity

The cooperative model offers a real and working path for ordinary people to reclaim their economic sovereignty and build communities resilient to external pressure. This model allows citizens to move from passive resistance to proactive construction of an independent economic foundation. As one of the cooperative’s members recalls the legacy of Khan Kubrat, strength lies in the bundle of arrows that no one can break while they are together.

What if the solution to systemic problems is not another new political party, but a forgotten way to organize our economy from the bottom up?