In this article, the author examines, in the light of the theory of the gift, the development of social economy institutions, contrasting their early conceptions and their observed operation. Following Mauss, he notes that there is no single mode of economic organization that expresses a natural order, but rather different forms of production and distribution that coexist. Thus, in order to accomplish a democratic project of social change, it is necessary to raise the question of what institutions are able to ensure the diversity of the economy so that to inscribe it within a democratic framework.
Social economy; Collective initiatives; Economic sociology; The gift