[1] With the exception of credit unions and mutual banking institutions, most cooperatives have held a light footprint on the economic history of the United States, compared to the economies of Europe.
The development of mutual organizations and cooperatives in the United States has a history spanning from the 18th century to the present day, reflecting the evolution of collective economic and social efforts.
The early 20th century saw a surge in consumer co-ops, especially during the Great Depression, when the establishment of self-help cooperatives was advocated by figures like Upton Sinclair and supported by Franklin Roosevelt's New Deal.
The earliest mutual organization established in the British North American colonies was created in 1735 in Charleston, South Carolina, but was liquidated following a 1740 fire which gutted much of the city's buildings and had left the company unable to recoup the losses.
[citation needed] Upton Sinclair's EPIC movement became one of the leading proponents for the establishment of self-help cooperatives in California during the Great Depression, as was Japanese pacifist Toyohiko Kagawa, who advocated for "brotherhood economics" as an alternative to communism and fascism on both sides of the Pacific.