Dimensions and trends of the solidarity economy in Brazil

Abstract

The paper highlights the value of the Brazilian Information System on Solidarity Economy for the understanding of solidarity economy, highlighting its investigative possibilities in order to ascertain relevant aspects of Solidarity Economy Enterprises (EES) and to identify their origins and development tendencies. It emphasizes the peculiarities of the solidarity economy in the face of the predominant forms of economy and presents an EES’ typology, integrating it to the analysis of its emergent process, in which the workers' experiences are highlighted. This discussion leads to the exam of the sense of solidarity economy from the point of view of the expectations of its protagonists, and to relativize current theses such as a reaction to unemployment or the mere pursuit of economic benefits. Comments on the importance of comprehensive databases for studies on solidarity economy, in order to establish balance sheets on their trajectory and their propulsion forces, conclude the paper.