Constitución y nueva Economía Social

Though in 1978, when the constitution was established, the scientific conception of social economy did not exist, the Magna Carta through different statutes does refer explicitly or implicitly to the different social agents who comprise the social economy: co-operatives, labour associations, mutual societies, associations and foundations. The market social economy is made up of a wide-ranging group of enterprises that are active in the market, for whom profit sharing and decision taking are not directly linked to the capital provided by each partner, with the democratic criterion of one member, one vote prevailing. As regards the non-market social economy, though during the first stage the social economy title only comprised “non profit-making institutions at the service of households” a new definition of the non-market institutions is now proposed, made up of “the non-profit making institutions sector”, made up of legally recognised organisations who produce non-market services for families, and whose surplus, if existing, cannot be appropriated by the economic agents who create, control or finance them.