Principles of cooperative democracy and interaction were adequate to the purposes for which people joined credit unions. Credit unions also differ from the traditional consumer cooperatives. The number of shareholders of a credit union is limited and formalized by a list. Limit of the number is defined by the assembly and such assembly establishes the charter. Specialization of credit unions to provide financial services to its shareholders requires a particularly strict regulation of membership and acceptable activities. Is necessary that all shareholders of the credit union were members of a single community, would know each other well enough to enjoy mutual trust. Credit unions are competitors of savings institutions, adding interest on deposits of members. This applies to the shares, as well as to additional funds transferred to the account in the credit union. The value of credit unions is not limited to the role of the economic agent - they are an important element of the social structure and a factor of social stability and progress.