ABSTRACT

The question of redistributive justice is even more relevant under neoliberal globalization. One reason for this is the rise in global inequality and the changing nature of social inequality. It is no more a question of poverty in its basic form, but of income polarization within and between societies. Redistribution affects social indicators beyond income polarization, including indicators that pertain to human development, gender development and other indicators aggregated in millennium development goals. The mechanisms that are instrumental in fighting inequality have been significantly weakened since the 1980s, and the erosion of welfare regimes and social safety nets has further materialized in the form of austerity measures. It is in this context that alternative solidarity mechanisms are utilized as buffers against global inequality. This chapter will focus on the role of solidarity networks in fulfilling a function that was previously the responsibility of the state and the market. These networks emerge in an unstructured manner and make use of different methods and models. Functions of production and redistribution are complementary pillars of solidaristic alternatives.