By Benjamin R. Quinones, Jr.

Founder and Chairman, CSRSME Asia

Based on the anecdotal evidence from the CSRSME Asia case studies (Malaysia, Philipines, Sri Lanka, and Thailand), it can be inferred that Solidarity Economy emerges out of informed actions of people. SE does not appear in the economic landscape spontaneously. Rather, it sprouts from the struggles of people for a better life in the midst of harsh realities and deliberately informed by socially responsible organizations which aspire for a more responsible, more diverse, and solidarity-based economy.

Being a deliberate initiative of people towards a more caring society, SE needs a governance system that enlightens the citizens on their social responsibility and makes them accountable for it. The CSRSME Asia case studies show that the traditional governance system of indigenous people tends to be democratic, but it is powerless against the modern governance system that supports a more market-oriented economic system. For the system of solidarity economy to prosper at the local, national, and global levels it is important to have an alternative governance paradigm that supports and is supported by a high sense of social responsibility among the citizens.

It must be borne in mind, though, that while Solidarity Economy may provide a revolutionary blueprint for a new socio-economic contract, the system itself does not transform individuals into selfless, servant leaders. Individual advocates and practitioners of Solidarity Economy should undergo a revolutionary transformation from being self-centered operators of the old, exploitative social order into socially responsible citizens who purposely create wealth so as to enhance the well-being of all mankind and conserve the environment for future generations.

In this light, it is important first and foremost that people who promote and practice solidarity economy and those who govern under the new socio-economic paradigm undergo a personal transformation that leads them to possess the attributes of a servant leader. Otherwise, individuals with self-serving intentions can join the solidarity economy movement and use it for their own personal gain once they rise to power and hold the reins of governance.

It is equally important to educate people about their social responsibilities and make them accountable for their actions that negatively impact on the economic welfare of the greater majority of the people and the environment. This is where the CHR (Charter of Human Responsibilities) developed by a Workgroup of the Alliance for a Plural, Responsible, and United World can play a strategic role. The CHR proposes a new social contract which will lead to the creation of new rules for every social and professional group in its relationship with society. Although the Alliance Workgroup that drafted the CHR recognizes the contributions to social development of the UN Charter and the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and United Nations Charter, it also noted the failure of these two pillars of international conventions to sufficiently address the widening economic gaps within and between nations, the concentration of economic and political power in ever-fewer hands, threats to cultural diversity, or the over-exploitation of natural resources.

The CHR has the potential of informing solidarity economy initiatives of a better way of organizing society based on the recognition of stakeholders of their respective responsibilities towards man and the environment. The CHR aims to provide a new framework, not only for personal conduct, but for the political, institutional and legal domains as well. The CHR preamble states that all people have an equal entitlement to human rights, but their responsibilities are proportionate to the possibilities open to them. The more freedom, access to information, knowledge, wealth and power someone has, the more capacity that person has for exercising his/her responsibilities, and the greater that person’s duty to account for his or her actions.

The CHR maps out responsibilities and how responsibilities, at the individual and the collective levels, can be exercised. It is a concrete step towards developing a democratic global governance based on broad acceptance of human responsibilities towards society and the environment.