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The Social Economy in a Context of Austerity Policies: The Tension Between Political Discourse and Implemented Policies in Spain

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Abstract

Governments face the challenge of fostering the social economy in a context of economic crisis and austerity policies. Despite the high levels of institutional recognition for the considerable social and economic value added by the social economy (SE), government policies following this approach have been scarce during the latest economic recession. This article analyses the case of Spain, a country that has endured deep austerity policies and has a strong SE sector. Building on the SE approach that combines quantitative and qualitative data, this study examines the policies that promoted the SE during two periods: before and during the economic crisis. As a novel contribution, the study compares the political discourse with the policies implemented. The findings highlight a gap between the discourse and the policies implemented during the crisis, showing that the SE has not been prioritized by policymakers, and link that gap with the recent EU economic policy.

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Notes

  1. Two major examples of this recognition are the European Union Council Conclusions (December 2015), Luxembourg Presidency. The promotion of the SE as a key driver of economic and social development in Europe, Brussels (15071/15 SOC 711 EMPL 464), and the introduction of the SE into the research agenda of the United Nations (UNRISD), following approval of a statement by its General Assembly (Chaves and Monzon 2018b).

  2. An overview of these functions can be found in Archambault (1986) and Chaves and Monzon (2012).

  3. Social action third sector organization (STSO) refers to non-profit and voluntary organizations that operate in the field of social services. Law 43/2015 on STSO has been passed recently in Spain to regulate them.

  4. As other Mediterranean European countries, Spanish Constitution includes explicit references about fostering cooperatives and social economy.

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  1. IUDESCOOP and Department of Applied Economics, Faculty of Economics, University of Valencia, Avda dels Tarongers, s/n 46.022, Valencia, Spain

    Rafael Chaves-Avila & Teresa Savall-Morera

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  1. Rafael Chaves-Avila
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  2. Teresa Savall-Morera
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Correspondence to Rafael Chaves-Avila.

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Chaves-Avila, R., Savall-Morera, T. The Social Economy in a Context of Austerity Policies: The Tension Between Political Discourse and Implemented Policies in Spain. Voluntas 30, 487–498 (2019). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11266-018-00075-3

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