Public policies for the social and solidarity economy

Rafael Chaves-Avila, Juan R. Gallego-Bono, Belen Catala Estada and Teresa Savall Morera

Chapter 4 in A Modern Guide to the Social and Solidarity Economy, 2026, pp 66-87 from Edward Elgar Publishing

Abstract: Over the past decade, an increasing number of governments have implemented policies to support the social and solidarity economy (SSE). This chapter first examines the rationale for government support, notably highlighting the SSE's alignment with the broader public objectives of ‘inclusive prosperity’. The second second section focuses on the context of SSE policy deployment. The third uses a framework in two parts to discuss the deployment of social economy policies: (1) a typology based on policy content, distinguishing between ‘hard’ and ‘soft’ policies; and (2) a distinction between ‘first’ and ‘second generation’ SSE policies. The latter approach is transformative, integrates SSE principles holistically and strengthens SSE–public sector partnerships. It aims to provoke systemic change by integrating the SSE into mainstream policy. The chapter then discusses the opportunities, challenges, and risks—notably isomorphism—associated with this new generation of policies. Finally, it presents conclusions and future lines of research.

Keywords: Public Policy; Transformative Social and Solidarity Economy Policies; Co-production of Policies; Public–Private Partnerships; Democratising Policymaking; Government Intervention; Social Economy Policy (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2026
ISBN: 9781035310890
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