Principles of cooperative democracy and interaction were adequate to the purposes for which people joined credit unions. Typically new members of the credit union become citizens having suretyship or recommendations from their friends - members of the credit union. The main advantage of credit unions consists in transparency, controllability, governance for shareholders. Credit unions of the open type are still controlled by their members, but at the same time provide services to people who are not its members (external customers). Credit unions appeared in England in the 19th century. In 1844 a group of workers from Rochdale established the first cooperative. In the case of default the shareholder - individual will respond with its property and, in addition, is jointly and severally liable with the credit union's commitments. Credit cooperatives and credit unions exist in many different forms. The main differences relate to the nature of the membership and the opening of a credit institution. Credit unions base their activities on savings of shareholders, their shares and savings contributions, which make up the fund of mutual financial assistance - a source of cash loans to shareholders.