Social Economy Landscape in Chile: the gap between the formal and the substantial definition and the need for a multi-criterion approach (part 2 - Qualitative Prospect)

Since the 1970s, and the return of liberal-type economic policies, interest in social and/or solidarity economy has increased worldwide. In Chile, these debates appeared briefly at the turn of the 1990s, after the resettlement... [ view full abstract ]

Since the 1970s, and the return of liberal-type economic policies, interest in social and/or solidarity economy has increased worldwide. In Chile, these debates appeared briefly at the turn of the 1990s, after the resettlement of democracy. However, they remain relatively isolated and quashed by dominant neoliberal model, growing inequality and individualistic culture (de la Maza, 2002, PNUD, 2015). Rebirth of interest for social economy arose after the years 2010, together with the renewed attention paid to the topics of inclusion and equity, especially promoted by social movement locally and globally (Stoessel 2014; Pleyers & Capitaine, 2016). So, the characterization of social economy in Chile and its transformations in an historical perspective is important to understand the main purposes of the sector (in terms of social equity, economic democracy, environmental sustainability or even the classic principles of commensality and reciprocity).

In this article, we propose to contribute to a characterization of social and solidarity economy sector in Chile through a quantitative secondary data analysis. The text focuses first in the methodological approach we designed, considering that there is no set of data previously parametrised for such an analysis. We use different data bases and compare the results. It may be the basis for continuous monitoring of SSE to observe the main historical changes of the sector and to analyse the situation in previous years. Secondly the text addresses some of the main findings that allow portraying social economy and understand historical and spatial changes and particularities.  

 The results show that (1) the main legal forms constituting social economy in Chile are Corporations y Foundations, Co-properties, Rural drinking water committees, Community associations, Cooperatives and Guild Associations (among others); (2) although the sectors of activity are directly related to regional particularities, management of common goods prevails; and (3) we can also observe that the role of religious institutions and clubs (especially sports clubs) is important.

We have considered several variables (size of the organization in sales, activity sector, location at different scales) to shape the landscape of SSE in Chile and its current and historical characteristics. With theses results and analysis, we propose first to discuss the results of the qualitative analysis, and more particularly with some of the permanent economic issue highlighted, and second to deepen our cross-cutting issue: that of the tension between “formal” (or “formalized”) and “substantial” social economy. In this sense, it’s seems difficult to define an unambiguous demarcation criterion to constrict the perimeter of social economy (Defourny, 1994; Ministerio de Economía , Fomento y Turismo, 2015; González y Donovan, 2005; Laville, 2009), and, therefore, it’s necessary to move toward a multi-criterion approach that allows to set up a scale to define whether they belong to the sector.

References

Defourny, J. (1994). Développer l’entreprise sociale. Fondation Roi Baudouin.

de la Maza, G. (2002). Sociedad civil y democracia en Chile. En A. Panfichi, Sociedad civil, esfera pública y democratización en América Latina: Andes y Cono Sur (pp. 211–240). Universidad Católica del Perú.

Gonzalez, R. y P. Donovan (2005): “Economie Sociales, populaire, et solidaire au Chili (1980-2003). Université du Québec en Outaouais.

Ministerio de Economía, Fomento y Turismo de Chile (2015). Documento de Facilitación para la Formación en Economia Asociativa y Cooperativismo. Division de Asociatividad y Economia Social. Santiago.

Pleyers, G., & Capitaine, B. (Eds.). (2016). Jeunes alteractivistes : d’autres manières de faire de la politique. Paris: Agora Débats/jeunesses, n° 73, INJEP, Les Presses de Sciences Po.

PNUD (2015). Desarrollo humano en Chile: los tiempos de la politizacion 2015. PNUD.

Stoessel, S. (2014). Giro a la izquierda en la América Latina del siglo XXI. Polis. Revista Latinoamericana, (39).