Synonyms
Definition
According to a very broad definition of the European Commission, mutual organizations/societies “are voluntary groups of persons (natural or legal) whose purpose is primarily to meet the needs of their members rather than achieve a return on investment.” This broad definition includes self-help groups, friendly societies, cooperatives, mutual insurance companies, mutual benefit societies, credit unions, building societies, savings and loans associations, microcredit, burial associations, Freemasons… (European Commission 2003). Hereafter, it is a more restricted definition that is used, relying on principles shared by most mutuals in Europe, the region where they are the most widespread. However, some international examples put European mutual societies in perspective.
The core organizations examined here will be mutual insurance companies and mutual benefit societies. In that sense, mutual societies are insurance companies run by their members for protecting...
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.
References
AIM (International Association of Mutual Benefit Societies). (2008). http://www.aim-mutual.org. Consulted on 15/03/2008 and on 15/01/2020.
AMICE (Association of the mutual and cooperative insurance sector in Europe). (2020). https://www.amice-eu.org/?lang=fr. Consulted on 13/01/2020.
Archambault, E. (1997). The nonprofit sector in France. Manchester: Manchester University Press.
Boned, O. (2008). Les mutuelles en Europe. Le défi de l’identité. Vie Sociale, 4(4), 131–148.
Chaves R., & Monzon Campos J.-L. (2019). Evolution récente de l’économie sociale en Europe, CIRIEC, Working paper 2019/01.
Defourny, J., Develtere, P., & Fonteneau, B. (1999). L’économie sociale au Nord et au Sud. De Boeck: Brussels.
Dreyfus, M. (1993). The labour movement and mutual benefit societies. Towards an international approach. International Social Security Review, 46(3), 19–27.
Esping-Andersen, G. (1999). Welfare states in transition: National adaptations in global economies. London: Sage.
European Commission, & Enterprise Directorate General. (2003). Mutual societies in an enlarged Europe, Consultation Document, 03/10/2003.
Noya, A., & Clarence, E. (2007). The social economy. Building inclusive economies. Paris: OECD Publishing.
Salamon, L., & Anheier, H. (1997). Defining the nonprofit sector: A cross-national analysis. Manchester: Manchester University Press.
Toucas-Truyen, P. (1995). Histoire de la mutualité et des assurances. L’actualité d’un choix. Paris: Syros.
United Nations, Department of Economic and Social Affairs, Statistics Division. (2018). Satellite account on non-profit and related institutions and volunteer work.
Further Viewing
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Corresponding author
Editor information
Editors and Affiliations
Section Editor information
Rights and permissions
Copyright information
© 2021 Springer Nature Switzerland AG
About this entry
Cite this entry
Archambault, E. (2021). Mutual Organizations, Mutual Societies. In: List, R.A., Anheier, H.K., Toepler, S. (eds) International Encyclopedia of Civil Society. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-99675-2_50-1
Download citation
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-99675-2_50-1
Received:
Accepted:
Published:
Publisher Name: Springer, Cham
Print ISBN: 978-3-319-99675-2
Online ISBN: 978-3-319-99675-2
eBook Packages: Springer Reference Social SciencesReference Module Humanities and Social SciencesReference Module Business, Economics and Social Sciences