ABSTRACT
This chapter looks at the ethical basis of the social and solidarity economy (SSE) and makes the point that ethics are constantly in motion between the social and the commercial, not least because modes of exchange are so varied, complex and intertwined. At the heart of these exchange systems is solidarity, itself a slippery concept, especially when it is produced by price-based relationships. The compatibility between surplus and solidarity is what makes the SSE and its assembly a distinctive, but also problematic, arena of social change. SSE exists in all sectors of the economy – production, finance, distribution, exchange, consumption and governance. The social economy is complex, multi-layered and embraces a mix of schemes, some close to the state and some closer to the market. Work Integration Social Enterprise (WISE) schemes and Intermediary Labour Markets (ILMs) are designed to provide temporary waged employment with personal support and mentoring to help unemployed people and other vulnerable groups to transition to work.
