The social and solidarity economy (SSE) has gained worldwide attention over the last decade. It represents a host of diverse economic activities which take different forms in each country, but which share solidarity values that are alternatives to mainstream market economic logics. In Ecuador, the SSE acquired legal status in the 2008 Constitution that aimed to foster an alternative development model based on the Buen Vivir (BV) paradigm. However, despite a broad new regulatory framework for the SSE, the implementation of specific policies faces significant challenges. This article, based on fieldwork and interviews with many stakeholders, critically analyzes the transformative scope of the policies of the main newly created institution (IEPS—Instituto de Economía Popular y Solidaria). We discuss policy challenges focusing on trade-offs for small rural producers due to their dependent market integration and overall flaws in fulfilling SSE solidarity values.
The Social and Solidarity Economy (SSE) encompasses a wide range of economic endeavors and logics with the potential to deploy alternative «economies» —in varying degrees— to the capitalist system. The ESS is an indispensable reference to move from conventional development models to the paradigm of buen vivir. In this article, it is showed which are the principles of the SSE and to what extent they converge with the dimensions and Good Living Objectives and with the strategies to achieve it. We emphasize the need to implement strategies oriented to the regulation, redistribution, resizing and decommodification of the economic sphere. These four orientations should be driven by public policies, but, at the same time, the SSE organizations themselves are already implementing them from practice thanks to their principles and values. We propose ways of promoting SSE such as responsible public procurement, social markets and local economic circuits, recovery of sovereignty (food, energy, ethical finance and social currencies), reconceptualization of work and well-being for the sustainability of life.
This article analyzes the potential of the social and solidarity economy (SSE) to foster the sustainable development goals (SDGs). Local public policies play an important role in supporting both the SSE and SDGs. We select a case study of four SSE projects of a local development agency in the Basque Country, where the SSE has a considerable presence through diverse forms and experiences. We address how these projects, which are implemented in a coordinated and transversal manner, contribute to many specific targets within SDG goals number 8 (growth and decent work), 12 (sustainable consumption and production patterns), and 5 (gender equity). However, some limitations have also been identified: (i) trade-offs, in both SSE and SDGs, between economic growth and other aims centered on environmental sustainability; and (ii) avoidance of handling issues, which limits a systemic transformation.
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