Solidarity economy

Solidarity Economy is combines an alternative form of economic activity, the parts of corporatism and parts of syndicalism. It is to no scientific concept but a political concept. It is based on a needs-based, social, democratic and ecological approaches. Solidarökonomische projects are basically in the service of man standing. In addition, it is based on the idea that every person so that was a part of society, and his work is a crucial part for the progress of humanity. Leading thinkers such an economy is Jacque Fresco and the Zeitgeist Movement.

Concept and objectives

The term solidarity is deliberately not narrowly tailored, to give as many areas, very different concepts, theories and approaches place. Solidarökonomische projects currently exist primarily in Latin America, which is a leader in the cooperation of the solidarity economy enterprises, and in Europe. These projects include, among other things, open source programs, workshops and alternative education institutions, swap meets, social markets, self-managed enterprises and residential communities. The projects and models usually have three similar theoretical and practical goals:

• The social goal: The community should be sorted democratically and socially. Materialism as social order is to be overcome and the individual be reintegrated into the parent, social life.
• The political goal: participation and democracy are to be extended. It is a kind of solidarity emerge, which sees itself as a system of values ​​and norms, which provides that the individual is the state interest in the center of the civic and.
• The economic objective: living and working conditions should be improved. Various efforts such as the preservation of the natural foundations of life, sustainability and needs- oriented economies and all measures to protect the environment the focus here. If necessary, to human-induced injury or damage to be repaired. The economic objective overlaps accordingly with the environmental policy, but is not limited to these.

Application

Heretofore, various new social movements have emerged. In them, people engage against the consequences of globalized capitalism, against exclusion, marginalization, precariousness, unemployment and poverty. They join together cooperatively and try to build a other economy.

Germany

The cooperative idea can be traced back to the already known from the Middle Ages cooperatives ( Einungen, guild ). He passed early into the nascent labor movement, but also in the trade union movement and the anarcho-syndicalism. He was reinstated as a social movement in England and on the continent of Europe from the mid-19th century by the co-operative movement in modern form. She used it a purposive-rational and theory- based planning. The cooperative movement is to be understood as an important attempt to solve those social problems raised by the very efficient in the competition early capitalism.

After setbacks in the 20th century, for example, the destruction of the cooperative movement by the Nazi regime, and affairs in the 1980s (eg New home and consumer society "co op" ) was made 1968-1989 a wave of foundations in the field of Alternative Economics. Another structural setback was the following at the turn work of trade unions towards the industry in the ( reunited ) Germany. - The culminating in the union fusion of different sub-unions in the United Services Union deserving to 2001, which compared to the industrial unions promises of "round tables " to enhance the training and hiring situation in the public domain believed to be able to compensate against the privatization. Another faux pas in this sense were the establishment of private unions around the retail entrepreneur Dieter Schwarz in 2008. Issue here was the control and monitoring of employees ( and customers) comparable to the now insolvent Schlecker Group and American companies such as Wal- Mart. The case driven back within society debate Mindeslohnbezahlung and workers' rights is a consequence of the social policy discrepancy that characterizes the liberalization policy since the 1980/90er years in Germany.

Austria

From 20 to 22 February 2009, the Congress Solidarity Economy was held at the University of Natural Resources. It was attended by over 1,000 participants and participants. The Congress pointed to the existence of a variety of economic solidarity initiatives in Austria: swap meets, gratis shops ( gift economy ), Food Coops, regional currencies, community gardens, solidarity housing projects as modules ( Bauherrengemeinschaft ) and much more. In Austria, a network of barter exchanges has emerged that exchange regularly in the meeting of the Austrian barter exchanges. With za: rt, the platform for regional cooperation transaction systems, was established a clearinghouse for the exchange between exchange circles. In addition to small local exchange circuits larger systems and composites, to involving several regional groups exist. Various models of regional currencies are for example originated in Vorarlberg, Styria and Lower Austria ( Waldviertel ). In Vienna also several swap meets, community gardens, gratis shops and food co-ops are operated. The next Solidarity Economy Conference is planned in an open and participatory process organized and will take place 22 to 24 February 2013 in Vienna at the University of Natural Resources.

Canada

In Québec was founded 10 years ago the Chantier de l' economie sociale. Strongly emphasizes the importance of solidarity for Regional Development. Due to the direct relations of solidarity holdings for the environment in which they are located, should new needs can be recognized and interpreted quickly. The Chantier represents the approximately 6200 solidary enterprises in the area with about 65,000 people employed and maintains contacts with the Brazilian organization, the Fórum, Charles Guindon from Chantier was present at the national conference in Brasília, where it was continued to work on a common project. The problem lies with the Canadian government, as it provides only money available if Canada provides development assistance. That would correspond to a one-sided exchange of knowledge. The solidarökonomische history has a long tradition in Canada.

Argentina

After the collapse of the economy in Argentina in 2001 20 % of the Argentine population were unemployed and impoverished over 50%. Mass demonstrations, road blockades, strikes and factory occupations nationwide were the result. The farms were previously abandoned by their owners. Reasons were partly economic problems due to the economic crisis. In addition intended bankruptcies or insolvencies of new employees elsewhere to start a new operation. Other invested the pulled out of the working capital in other industries, especially in the agricultural export. Some factory owners left the country. This meant that many workers began to occupy factory site and resume production. Some of the takeovers were negotiated with the former owners, without occupying the operation. Since in the vast majority of enterprises, the management and large parts of the administration left the operation together with the owners, more than 50 % of staff costs were mostly saved. A result, many farms were economically again. The factories were continued with the objective of livelihood instead of maximizing profits. Today there are more than 200 factories in the hands of workers and ensure the existence of more than 10,000 employees.

The legal form of the factories usually cooperatives were elected. They see themselves as a new generation of widespread cooperatives in Argentina. Unlike traditional cooperatives operating Meeting is the company's internal decision-making body. Each member has one vote. The operation meetings are usually held at least once a month. There, all companies are decisions in question. Only for the everyday business, there are some subgroups that cover specific areas of work such as sales, administration, etc.. However, the staff meeting is always ultimate decision-makers and information organ. The development was not as successful as in Brazil. The remuneration of these farms has decreased in 52 % of cases. The working hours remained the same in general. The legal situation of these enterprises is still not clear in many cases. In some cases, evictions or foreclosures could not be prevented. Therefore, some of these companies asked for nationalization, but the self-management of enterprises should be maintained. A further requirement of the Argentine Republic was the creation of a fund, which should make the cooperatives the necessary start-up capital. This should ensure that machinery, land and remain in the possession of the company.

Brazil

In Brazil in particular is trying to implement the solidarity into practice. During an economic crisis in the 1980s and 1990s, many Brazilian companies went bankrupt. Workers bought and rehabilitated such companies to obtain their jobs. Today, many of these factories are solidarökonomische businesses. One of their mottos is Outra economia acontece (another economy happens). Support is considered by unions and the government as crucial to the success. 1996, the trade union umbrella organization of Brazil Central Unica dos Trabalhadores (CUT) is aiming to cooperatives in. The ANTEAG ( Associacao Nacional dos Trabalhadores e Empresas de Autogestao e participação Acionara, German. National association of workers in self -managed enterprises ) and was founded in 2003 SENAES ( Secretaria Nacional de Economia Solidaria, German. , The National Secretariat for Solidarity Economy ) are for the establishment new cooperatives responsible for the merger of cooperatives.

The National Secretariat has a key position. It currently has the status of a department of the Ministry of Labour and is headed by the economist Paul Singer since 2003. It represents the movement for Solidarity Economy in Brazil with all claims against state and private institutions and international organizations. Other key responsibilities of the Secretariat are to disseminate information about the concept of solidarity and the political and material support to cooperatives in Brazil. Since 2004, the Secretariat has its own budget. It is used for various projects:

• The establishment of forums and centers for cooperatives to pool the interests and thus to allow the joint sale of products,
• The mediation of commercial partners, meetings or courses, advice on legal issues
• Assistance in the organization of trade fairs and seminars
• Assistance in the preparation of balance sheets and statistics
• SENAES is also committed to the issue of legal regulations, such as whether a cooperative is officially recognized as the legal form of a company
• Creating policies for the solidarity and the monitoring of their implementation

The cooperatives are supported in developing an alternative economy through government institutions, intellectuals, universities and cooperatives. About 3000 alternative enterprises, over 500 support organizations, more than 80 cities and the public administrations of six states organized through the Brazilian Forum for Solidarity Economy.

The development of cooperatives is supported by innovation workshops, which are carried out in Brazilian universities. An example is the innovation lab of the University of São Paulo ( USP) under the direction of Paul Singer and Sylvia reader de Mello.

Another key point of the SENAES is to strengthen the regional economy. It is nationally supported by churches, trade unions, universities and parties.

Research

Solidarity Economy is in Germany so far at the University of Kassel and at the Westfälische Wilhelms -Universität Münster subject of research and teaching.

In Germany, scientists at the University of Kassel have started for the first time in 2007 to bring the term " solidarity economy " alternative forms of economy that aim to produce any other way to sell, consume and live. By working collectively, jointly and without any hierarchical organization, they embody a strategy to combat social exclusion. For the definitions of such establishments Kassel researchers have established five criteria:

• Self-management: It involves joint ownership and joint decision-making processes
• Ecology: Ecological objectives and sensitivity in the use of materials, energy, water and soil.
• Cooperation: It relates to the sharing of goods by different companies. In this way, solidarity networks are increasingly developing.
• Economy: The condition is that it is a real business enterprise, not a charity.
• Community orientation: The commitment to improving the life of the community conditions.