DINÂMICAS DA ECONOMIA SOLIDÁRIA NO BRASIL

Organizações econômicas, representações sociais e políticas públicas

Abstract

The book DINÂMICAS DA ECONOMIA SOLIDARIA NO BRASIL: economic organizations, social representations and public policies, organized by Sandro Pereira da Silva, stands out as a reference on the topic of the current solidarity economy, by uniting a set of studies developed and disseminated by the Institute of Applied Economic Research (IPEA), either by the institution's own researchers or by other researchers in partnership, and who approach the paradigm of solidarity economy in its multiple aspects.
The work is divided into 16 chapters, which dialogue from the history of the Solidarity Economy theme and its construction in Brazil to the transformations in the present and its imbrications in the daily life of society and in the governmental agenda, through the analysis of several databases and nationwide surveys, such as: National Information System on Solidarity Economy (Sies); National Secretariat for Solidarity Economy (Senaes); National Program for Incubators of Popular Cooperatives (Proninc); National Conference on Solidarity Economy (Conaes); among others.
In chapter one, The field of research in solidary economy in Brazil: history, methodological approaches and analytical dimensions, a general survey of scientific production related to the theme of solidary economy was elaborated. The insertion in the academic field of the solidary economy paradigm, which emerged in the final years of the 20th century as defining a diversity of collective practices in search of new strategies for social inclusion and territorial development, was discussed.
In chapter two, Socio-structural dimensions of solidarity economy ventures in Brazil, an overview of solidarity economy ventures (SEE) in Brazil was outlined, including information, such as: regional distribution of ventures, area of ​​activity (urban or rural) and founding date. Thus, it is observed that the solidarity economy is marked by a diversity of organizational formats, that is, a great structural heterogeneity, and that the studies of this database on the activity of enterprises can help in the construction of public policies to support the economy. solidarity in Brazil.
In chapter three, Socio-Labour Aspects of Workers adhering to Solidarity Economy Enterprises in Brazil, the different ways of carrying out the associative relations proposed in the context of the solidary economy were discussed. In general, it was identified that the surveyed workers, although inserted in activities of low added value, manage, through the mobilization of collective efforts, to generate business environments that fill a void in terms of income generation, whose result is of great value. for their family survival.
In chapter four, Solidarity finance in Brazil: characterization, organizational types and their structural dimensions, we sought to problematize the general characteristics of a specific branch of the solidarity economy, in which workers and support entities act in the viability of collective experiences of finance from of different organizational formats. It is understood that the socio-technical instrument of solidarity finance is built as a paradigm of social organization around the provision of financial services to populations residing in territories historically marked by exclusion by the traditional financial system. Furthermore, the data clipping demonstrates that such enterprises are in different stages of institutionalization, which largely explains the variation in their structural characteristics.
In chapter five, Recycling and solidary economy: analysis of the structural dimensions of collective enterprises of collectors in Brazil, a study was presented on the reality of collective enterprises formed by collectors of recyclable materials in Brazil. Through data from Sies and two national surveys that provide an overview of these enterprises, it was possible to address questions about their administrative organization and economic efficiency. All the information identified and analyzed demonstrate that not only the waste picker profession is marked by great heterogeneity in terms of work organization, but its collective economic enterprises are also quite heterogeneous.

In chapter six, Entities for support and promotion of the solidarity economy in Brazil: an exploratory analysis, Sies data referring to the organizational dynamics of support and development entities (EAFs) throughout the national territory were analyzed. The effort made by Senaes (National Secretariat of Solidarity Economy) and by FBES (Brazilian Forum of Solidarity Economy) to create an experimental database on these entities across the country was highlighted. The information shows that the EAFs perform a wide range of advisory services, in addition to having quite heterogeneous institutional characteristics among them, which implies different strategies of action in the territory.

Chapter seven, The companies recovered by workers in Brazil: results of a national survey, synthesized data from a nationwide survey, in which researchers from ten Brazilian universities joined forces to know all the cases of Companies Recovered by Workers ( ERTs) in Brazil. The main characteristics of ERTs in Brazil are the fact that they are mostly urban organizations in the industrial sector, concentrated in the most industrialized regions of the country. This analysis reveals workers' initiatives that, although they do not represent a significant portion of the Brazilian gross domestic product (GDP), cannot be ignored, not only for the preservation of thousands of jobs, most of them in the industrial sector, but also for the innovation that they represent from the point of view of work organization and workers' struggle strategies.

In chapter eight, Social technologies and solidarity economy: projects certified by the Banco do Brasil foundation. The relationship between two categories – Social Technologies (TS) and Solidarity Economy (ES) – was analyzed based on information on projects supported by Fundação Banco do Brasil (FBB) between 2001 and 2017, in different regions of the country. According to FBB, the concept of social technology encompasses methodologies, techniques or products developed in interaction with the community in search of effective solutions to existing social problems. When created, they can be reapplied in different locations, respecting cultural differences to improve actions.

In chapter nine, Another innovation is possible: the relevance of PRONINC and the consolidation of ITES as a space for technological development, the public policy to support university projects and programs of incubation in solidarity economy was evaluated. The survey covered 54 incubators (from the National Program of Incubators of Popular Cooperatives (Proninc)) across the country, as well as 171 ventures supported by them from 2016 to 2017. It was possible to notice that the survey results represent a stimulus to innovation and the need to support universities, mainly from the perspective of social technology, generating new tools, technologies and methodologies, based on dialogue with enterprises.

In chapter ten, The socio-organizational trajectory of the social movement of solidarity economy in Brazil, it was analyzed how the formation of a national and institutionalized collective identity took place within the scope of civil society under a new mobilizing paradigm, organized around the defense of the associated work and economic relations not restricted to the mercantile sphere. The research allowed us to identify a repertoire of the solidarity economy with diversified routines of collective action, and a very active pattern of interaction with the public power, taking advantage of important contextual political opportunities, especially in relation to governments permeable to these ideas in their agendas.

In chapter 11, Social mobilization and participatory deliberation in the formation of the governmental agenda: a procedural analysis of national conferences on solidarity economy, it was discussed how the social actors (public and private) involved nationally in the theme of solidarity economy were mobilized around the agenda of these participatory institutions to build strategies around a field of relatively recent public policies in the federal government. More specifically, we sought to analyze how this relationship took place along the socio-state interface provided by the National Conference on Solidarity Economy (Conaes). It can be said that the process of solidarity economy conferences was appropriated by the part of civil society involved in its theme as a link between their traditional repertoires of mobilization and the opening of an official channel of contact with the representation of the public power for the vocalization of their demands, taking advantage of an opening given by the Executive Power at the time for this type of dialogue.

In chapter 12, Socio-State Representation and Participatory Deliberation in Public Policies: the National Council of Solidarity Economy in the Perception of its Councilors, we sought to situate the mechanisms instituted to guarantee the relationship between state structure and civil society in a public policy domain, in the case, the solidarity economy. Subsequently, the National Council for Solidarity Economy (CNES) was defined as the object of analysis, in order to assess its dimensions of participation and representation, its operating structure, its connections with other social and power spheres, and effectiveness ( internal and external) associated with its deliberative practice. Some dimensions of the CNES were analyzed, such as the profile of its counselors, the participation of the segments that comprise it, the influence on decision-making bodies, among other important issues, in order to understand its operational dynamics and its effectiveness. It was highlighted that the information used is derived from the counselors' own perceptions, which were obtained through questionnaires.

In chapter 13, Fair and solidary trade in federal public policy: history and perspectives, a history of the development of fair and solidary trade policy in the Brazilian federal government since 2003, date of creation of the National Secretariat for Solidarity Economy (Senaes ). It was found that, in the period covered, there were significant advances in the structuring of a National Fair and Solidarity Trade Policy, mainly in the promotion of solidarity trade and in the participatory construction of the regulatory mechanisms of the National Fair and Solidarity Trade System (SCJS). However, it cannot be said that Brazil currently has an operating system of Fair and Solidarity Trade, as the main bottleneck observed was the difficulty in implementing the certification mechanisms provided for in the policy. Furthermore, it provoked a debate around the theme, in addition to promoting the historical rescue of a great collective effort, which involved government and social movements in the co-production of a public policy for about fifteen years.

In Chapter 14, Policies to encourage the solidarity economy in the state of são paulo in the recent period (2011-2016): simulation of possible paybacks for public investment and considerations for expanding the flow of associated benefits, information on the policies was presented. of fostering the solidarity economy implemented by the federal government in the state of São Paulo, between 2011 and 2016, whose execution was in charge of the Regional Superintendence of the then Ministry of Labor (MTb). The importance of this analysis resided in the fact that the state represents more than 30% of the total budget, and this included direct expenditures and transfers, spent on policies to promote the solidarity economy in the same period. When analyzing the payback period of the investments made, it was observed that the policies to promote the solidarity economy are attractive options for the allocation of resources from the federal government budget, insofar as the payback period, discounting the opportunity cost of the public expenditure, in months, is very close to the payback time in the traditional calculation methodology. Thus, it was considered appropriate to launch efforts so that these investments continue to generate benefit flows.

In Chapter 15, Challenges for the implementation and monitoring of solidarity economy policies carried out via voluntary transfers from the union, the penultimate chapter, dealt with the results of a diagnostic survey applied to city halls associated with the Ministry of Labor (MTb), for through Senaes, within the scope of the Brasil Sem Miséria Plan (PBSM). The research addressed the challenges for the execution and, by extension, the monitoring of agreements related to government programs whose implementation involves partnerships with different federative entities at the municipal level. Its results elucidate provocations for the execution and implementation of public policies in partnerships with government public entities, at the municipal level and, by extension, in the monitoring of these agreements.

The last Chapter 16, entitled The national policy of solidarity economy in the budget planning cycle (2004-2019): from insertion in the agenda to the paradigm crisis, analyzed the budget trajectory (planning and execution process) and the operational conditionalities of implementation of the Solidarity Economy Policy in the federal government. The scope of the analysis covered the entire recent experience of the solidarity economy on the federal government's agenda from the different Pluriannual Plans (PPAs): 2004-2007, 2008-2011, 2012-2015 and 2016-2019. It was shown that the programs experienced problems not only at the technical-budgetary level, but also at the political level, which influenced the ability to carry out planned actions and activities, in addition to ending the cycle with serious uncertainties regarding the continuity of these programs on the agenda. governmental. With this, the text helps to understand a general picture about the profile of production in this field of research, in addition to instigating new questions for future research, given the complexity of problematized points academically related to the topic.

Throughout the book, reflections and analyzes show that both the challenges and the potential of the solidarity economy are strongly marked by the socioeconomic inequalities that characterize the Brazilian development process. Thus, we can observe that the sixteen chapters meet the theme of solidarity economy, and inform, guide and encourage us to continue research on this topic, which is so important for understanding the social reality experienced by a large number of Brazilian workers involved in practical experiences. of solidarity enterprises. Such importance is even more evident in the current context of the Covid-19 pandemic, caused by the SARS-CoV-2 virus, which increased unemployment in the country and informal work, compromised the income generation potential of millions of families and deepened inequality. of Brazil.

Therefore, this book, in addition to being current, is recommended as a fundamental reading for studies on the theme of the solidarity economy and as a planning instrument to combat the country's social inequality. Its reading is relevant not only for academics in the social and economic areas, government agents, national and international researchers from different areas, but also for society as a whole, since the dynamics of the solidarity economy was and is present in the most profound transformations in the economic fields. , social and political crisis that the country has gone through in recent decades, as well as in the current pandemic. As much as it may oscillate to the point of facing a paradigm crisis, due to the uncertainties of its theme in social and political debates and loss of space in the federal government, as we have seen throughout the chapters, its appropriation and valorization within the Brazilian society needs to be more disseminated and studied, in order to strengthen the theoretical and practical links of the solidarity economy in favor of a less unequal society.