The Workgroup on Solidarity Socio-Economy (WSSE) works on a series of themes and aspects aimed at transforming the prevailing economic system and building a participative, sustainable and solidarity economy. The effect of neo-liberal capitalism is to increase poverty and inequalities, as demonstrated by a recent UN report [1]. But this trend can essentially be noticed in daily life, in rich and poor countries alike.

The solidarity socio-economy questions the dominant model by placing human needs at the centre of economic concerns. The different projects springing from this alternative economy thus promote the inclusion of people who no longer have a place within an increasingly excluding model. However, this is not the most important aspect of the solidarity socio-economy: according human beings a place in aspects as diverse as social and material, objective and subjective, is an integral part of the goals laid down for creating an alternative economy.

With the aim of continuing on the path of its theme-based projects [2], the WSSE recognized the need to produce a summary of the various discussions. It is essential to set out the different solidarity socio-economy themes and enable the various solidarity socio-economy actors to work on creating an integrated project based on a global and systemic vision.

Whilst continuing to work on the questions emerging from our theme-based debates, we have therefore begun working on a cross-cutting solidarity socio-economy project with a new workshop, named Vision of an Integrated Solidarity Socio-Economy. To nourish the project, we have launched the collaborative production of a set of texts that explore the diversity of visions championed by solidarity socio-economy practitioners and theoreticians and contribute to creating a new paradigm for the solidarity socio-economy. Other discussions have been launched within the Vision Workshop in order to lay down the key themes for the transformation of the current system. The most important points of these discussions are included in a theme-based matrix that has been filled in by different members of the Vision Workshop.

In parallel with this conceptual work, over twenty interviews with people actively involved in projects linked to the solidarity socio-economy from different parts of the world were carried out based on a predefined questionnaire. You will find the interviews in the Documents section of the Vision Workshop website page. A summary of the replies to the questionnaire is currently being produced. It will constitute one of the key elements in the meeting organized by the WSSE in Dakar, Senegal, on 19 and 20 November 2005.


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[1] 2005 report on the international social situation: http://www.un.org/esa/socdev/rwss/
[2] Solidarity Finance, Fair Trade and Ethical Consumption, Social Money, etc. You can see the different current workshops by clicking on Workshops in the left-hand column.