ABSTRACT
This chapter explores the practical implications of the normative theory through an examination of an emblematic 'new economics' initiative and its interactions with mainstream social, economic, ideological and policy regimes. It examines the implications of alterity through a discussion of an emblematic project which sets out a new, sustainable system of provisioning: time banking. Time banks meet all the New Economics criteria of offering alternatives to mainstream economic thought and practice, and offer a new approach to achieving sustainable consumption. The chapter discusses the causes and implications of the deep-rooted contradiction, which go to the very heart of UK public policy, and highlights the complexities of building New Economics alternatives within mainstream policy settings. The New Economics offers alternative models, theories and practices, which aim to contribute towards sustainable consumption in particular. The UK Government has enthusiastically embraced the 'social economy' of voluntary and community organisations, and social enterprise, as a means of delivering a range of public policy objectives.
