Which principle best describes cooperative membership?

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Cooperative membership hinges on fair, shared economic participation. Members put in the capital needed and, in return, share the risks and the benefits of the venture in a way that’s fair to everyone. This captures the idea that the cooperative exists to serve its members, with profits and losses distributed in proportion to each member’s use or involvement. The other ideas—unequal capital contributions, government ownership, or chasing profit maximization—don’t fit the way cooperatives are owned and run by their member-owners for their mutual benefit.