Bond of association


The bond of association or common bond is the social connection among the members of credit unions and co-operative banks. Common bonds substitute for collateral in the early stages of financial system development. Like solidarity lending, the common bond has since played an important role in facilitating the development of microfinance for poor people.
In modern financial systems, common bonds remain a key building block, especially for the strategic networks that underpin many of Europe’s co-operative banks.

How bonds work

, an early co-operative organizer, explained the concept of the ‘bond of association’ at credit union meetings in this way:
In his book People’s Banks, Henry W. Wolff summarized the character of this ‘common bond’ based on his observations of credit unions all over Europe:
  1. many individuals bring small amounts of share capital into a common pool, which collectively amounts to significant base of collateral,
  2. borrowers, lenders and guarantors live near one another, making it convenient for the lender and guarantors to monitor the performance of the borrower, and manage any problems that may come up,
  3. an ‘inter-connection of liability among members’ is created by the bond, which may either involve direct and unlimited ‘financial liability’, or ‘direct responsibility for good management’, and
  4. all operations of the credit union must be conducted along ‘businesslike lines’ based on a strong sense of collective responsibility.

    Diverse types of bonds

There are several distinct types of bonds, corresponding to distinctive types of credit unions. For example:
A bitter debate between two German credit union pioneers over the nature of bonds of association eventually ended in a tie, with Schulze-Delitzsch’s approach dominating in urban settings, and Raiffeisen’s dominating in rural ones.
The bond of association for Schulze-Delitzsche’s larger, more urban ‘people’s banks’ required all members to contribute substantial share capital. He advocated that the banks should receive the protection of limited liability.
Friedrich Wilhelm Raiffeisen strongly opposed any share capital requirement. Arguing that most farmers had too little cash to afford share capital, he maintained that the principle of unlimited joint liability was "indispensable in small districts". Instead, it was needed "in order to prevent the Unions from excess, since it makes the administrative bodies conscious of their moral and material responsibilities."