O Conceito de Empreendimento Econômico Solidário: Por uma Abordagem Gradualista / The Concept of Solidarity Economy Venture: Towards a Gradualist Approach / Le Concept de l'Entreprenariat Économique Solidaire: Pour une Approche Gradualiste / El Concepto de Iniciativas de Economía Solidaria: Hacia una Perspectiva Gradualista

RESUMO O artigo apresenta inicialmente como uma confluência havida nos anos 1990 entre diversos atores sociais no Brasil conduziu a uma unidade política em torno do conceito de empreendimento econômico solidário. Discute a seguir as conveniências e inadequações desse enfoque, essencialmente normativo, para fins acadêmicos, atividade que implica identificar os traços estruturantes de tais organizações e formular critérios de qualificação e diferenciação desse campo de práticas. Propõe, desta maneira, uma modelagem weberiana ideal-típica do conceito, apropriada a análises empíricas desde um prisma teórico predeterminado. Lastreado em estudos precedentes dos autores, o exame do grau de correspondência entre as organizações econômicas concretas e os critérios prescritos pelo modelo permite qualificá-las, relacioná-las a organizações congêneres e comparar a economia solidária com campos de práticas afins, dentre eles o terceiro setor, examinado em suas peculiaridades na última seção do artigo.

ABSTRACT The following article begins by demonstrating how a convergence between various social actors in 1990s Brazil led to a political consensus on the concept of an empreendimento econômico solidário [solidarity economy venture]. It then discusses the advantages and disadvantages of what is essentially a normative focus, for academic purposes, leading us to identify the structural elements of such organizations and to formulate qualification and differentiation criteria in this field of practice. It thus proposes a Weberian ideal-type model for the concept, appropriated for empirical analyses from a pre-determined theoretical prism. Backed by several of the authors' previous studies, an examination of the degree of correspondence between the specific economic organizations and the criteria prescribed by the model allows us to qualify and relate them to peer organizations and to compare the solidarity economy with similar fields of practice, such as the third sector, examining particular features in the final section of the article.

RÉSUMÉ Cet article présente initialement de quelle manière une confluence survenue dans les années 1990 entre divers acteurs sociaux du Brésil a pu conduire à une unité politique autour du concept d'entreprenariat économique solidaire. On discutera ensuite des avantages et des inconvénients de cette approche, essentiellement normative, à des fins académiques, ce qui impliquera l'identification des traits structurants de telles organisations et la formulation des critères de qualification et de différenciation de ce champ de pratiques. On proposera ainsi une modélisation wébérienne idéale-typique du concept, qui s'avère appropriée pour les analyses empiriques sous un prisme théorique prédéterminé. Sur la base de des précédentes études des auteurs, l'examen du degré de correspondance entre les organisations économiques concrètes et les critères prescrits par le modèle permettra de les qualifier, de les mettre en relation avec des organisations similaires et de comparer l'économie solidaire avec des champs de pratique du même ordre, à l'instar du tiers-secteur, dont on examinera les particularités dans la dernière partie de cet article.

RESUMEN El artículo presenta inicialmente la manera en que la confluencia que se produjo en la década de 1990 entre diversos actores sociales en Brasil condujo a una unidad política en torno al concepto de iniciativas económicas solidarias (conocidas en Brasil como empreendimentos econômicos solidários ). A continuación, se debaten las ventajas e inconvenientes de este enfoque, esencialmente normativo, para fines académicos, una actividad que implica identificar los rasgos estructurales de tales organizaciones y formular criterios de calificación y diferenciación de este campo de prácticas. Se propone, de esta manera, una configuración weberiana ideal típica del concepto, apropiada para análisis empíricos realizados desde un prisma teórico predeterminado. Fundamentado en estudios precedentes de los autores, el examen del grado de correspondencia entre las organizaciones económicas concretas y los criterios prescritos por el modelo permite calificarlas, relacionarlas con organizaciones congéneres y comparar la economía solidaria con campos de prácticas afines, entre ellos, el tercer sector, cuyas peculiaridades se examinan en la última sección del artículo.

A economia solidária diante das desigualdades / The solidary economy in face of the inequalities

Based on empirical evidences gathered from researches about exemplary experiences in solidary economy, the article discusses the expectations associated to this kind of experiences in face of the question of inequality. In evaluating indicators related to egalitarian principles, it estimates the benefits brought by those undertakings, as well as their limitations when it comes to improve and equalize the life conditions of their participants. Comparing such conclusions with other empirical studies, and considering the debate on the roots of inequalities, the article relates the virtues of the solidary economy to the social protagonism it propitiates to workers, a condition for them to escape from the circles of deprivation, subalternity and disregard reserved to them by the dominant social order.

Dans cet article, on discute les espoirs placés dans l'économie solidaire face aux inégalités, à partir de résultats empiriques trouvées dans des recherches sur des expériences modèles de ce genre d'économie. En examinant des indicateurs liés à des principes d'égalité, on évalue les bénéfices apportés par ces actions, ainsi que leurs limites pour améliorer et adapter les conditions de vie de leurs publics. En comparant ces conclusions à celles d'autres études empiriques à propos des racines des inégalités, on met en rapport les vertus de l'économie solidaire et l'action sociale qui permet aux travailleurs d'échapper aux cercles de privation, de subordination et d'oubli que leur réserve l'ordre social dominant.

A economia solidária e o projeto de outra mundialização / The solidarity economy and the alternative globalization proposal

The striking events of the World Social Forums, succeeded by the entry of new actors into the Brazilian political scenario launched in 2003, involved a set of both promising and unknown new possibilities for the solidarity economy. The understanding of such moments, signaling both future advances and questions, requires examining recent steps in order to unveil the meaning of the new pathways and the demands they raise, given the new choices that need to be made. This article discusses the formulations of militant praxis in the solidarity economy and analyzes some of the problems permeating its history in recent years, based primarily on empirical studies on its evolution in the State of Rio Grande do Sul in relation to actual experiences and mediating organizations. The paper identifies some of the necessary changes and innovations in the conceptualization and implementation of the solidarity economy, in the sense of expanding its frontiers and legitimizing and agglutinating its various watersheds and expressions in order to establish it as an effective pillar for an alternative development and globalization process.