Forum Post: co-operative banks

Co-operative banks are a very attractive alternative to the disillusioned 99 percent. Co-operatives act in the interest of the depositors, not in the interest of their investors - a huge difference. If you deposit your money into a co-operative bank then you receive a dividend - not a shareholder. You have a vote in how the bank invests your money and a large portion of those investments are for community-led projects. It is the most basic, grass-roots form of empowerment that is available and can be a solution to wall street greed. Co-operatives can be applied to anything. In Europe there are co-operative grocery stores, department stores, elctricity/energy suppliers, gas stations, anything. All with the same principles that exclude outside interests and give those rights of a shareholder to the clients who spend their money on their services, thus continuing a beautiful cycle...