ABSTRACT
Globally there is a desperate need for sustainable alternatives to the neo-liberal capitalist model of development. The current economic and ecological crises both demand changes, particularly in terms of social ownership, public intervention and a shift of wealth and power. Many voices are currently calling for alternative development paths. For example, the director of the International Labour Organization (ILO), Juan Somavia, recently said: the current development model has proven to be inefficient and unsustainable, not only for the environment but for economies and societies as well. Mona Meurer argues for a new paradigm of buen vivir or 'living well', a holistic life philosophy which pursues the goal of material, social and spiritual well-being among all members of a society, but not at the cost of other members or the environment. This principle of 'living well' rather than 'living better' is central to the national development vision of both Ecuador and Bolivia.
