Community economies, transformation pathways and the social and solidarity economy

When the United Nations (UN) proposes that it is the social and solidarity economy (SSE) that will lead the way towards a well-functioning, prosperous and inclusive economy, it is time to identify the bold steps needed to normalize all forms of economic activity that put people and the planet before private profit making. Through a critique of capitalocentrism, this chapter counters certain perceptions of the SSE's capacity for radical leadership and transformation as limited. Drawing on Diverse Economies scholarship and my action research to build Community Economies, I argue that the SSE could join forces with movements focused on decommodifying basic needs and commoning access to what supports livelihoods. Using the example of community food provisioning, I speculate on how to create durable assemblages that might enable food to circulate as a use value and not as a vehicle for corporate profit making and an agent of further environmental degradation.