Social and Solidarity Economy and the Transformation of the Cuban Economic Model

Abstract

As a consequence of the recent economic reforms, many believe that Cuban society is in reality evolving towards the deconstruction of its social and solidarity economy and that the economic players are less and less responsible towards the society and the environment. Is it true that we run the risk that greed and narrow-minded personal pursuit will supplant social values such as righteousness, generosity, compassion, cooperation, empathy and community? This article examines the concept of the social and solidarity economy (SSE) applied to the Cuban reality, beginning with a characterisation of its economic system based on the mixed or plural economy model. It concludes that a Cuban SSE is the potential union of those three spheres – public, enterprise and private – comprised of a variety of economic actors – State, associative and autonomous – that adopts the principles of responsibility towards society and the environment.