Solidarity economy (SE) is an organizing framework for those who wish to create a systemic commitment to and practice of interdependence and collective liberation in the economic activities that meet our material needs. Solidarity economy rests on our shared values: cooperation, democracy, social and racial justice, environmental sustainability, and mutualism. Interdependence and respect are central.
Solidarity economies are transformative — they redistribute power and resources to those who have been most harmed by white supremacy, settler colonialism, patriarchy, ableism, and capitalism — and meet an immediate material need for a community. They are not symbolic, but actually delivering the housing, food, education, culture, and other needs humans require to thrive. They challenge the power of systems based on individualism, profit, and private property.
Solidarity economies emerge from movements and integrate the three common strategies for social change: personal transformation, building alternative institutions, and challenging dominant institutions. Building solidarity economy movements requires building networks, federations, and coalitions that align with SE principles and practices. This is where we become truly powerful.
None of these models, tools, or activities on their own constitutes a ‘solidarity economy.’ That only develops when we work together as a movement, when SE organizers and communities build relationships and work in alignment with each other.
Read the rest at Solidarity Economy Principles
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