Strategies for Synergy Between Basic Society Policies and the Social and Solidarity Economy (Part 2)

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 The realization of a Basic Society, one of the major policy directions in South Korea today, is being actively discussed as a way to respond more proactively to the various challenges facing our society.

 

👀Read Part 1

Revitalizing Korea’s Social and Solidarity Economy and Realizing a Basic Society (Part 1)

 

In the previous article, we emphasized that the government’s Basic Society policy is not a support measure designed specifically for the social and solidarity economy, but rather that the Basic Society and the social and solidarity economy exist in a complementary relationship. In this article, we explore the conditions under which Basic Society policies can function effectively in practice, as well as strategies for mutual growth between Basic Society policies and the social and solidarity economy.

 

😎Conditions for the Functioning of a Basic Society

 

A Basic Society operates on the following three institutional pillars:

 

Guarantee of Basic Lifetime Income

Ensuring a minimum social safety net—such as basic income, basic housing, basic care, and basic healthcare—so that all citizens can maintain a dignified life throughout their entire life course

 

Universal Basic Services

The state universally provides essential services required for social participation, including education, childcare, transportation, and digital access

 

The Role of the Social and Solidarity Economy and a Foundation of Solidarity

 

Organizations within the social and solidarity economy, local communities, and civil society collaborate to realize public values and create inclusive jobs

 

In other words, a Basic Society is a social model that functions through three interconnected pillars: income security, service expansion, and strengthened solidarity. When these three elements are organically combined, welfare, the economy, and democracy can operate together.

 

Reference: Korea Social Enterprise Promotion Agency, Jinseok Kim, Head of the Cooperatives Division

 

😀Policy and the Field Must Be Organically Connected

 

No matter how well-designed a policy may be, if there are no actors to implement it on the ground—or if communication with the field is lacking—it often ends up being short-lived. In other words, it becomes difficult for such policies to function sustainably.

 

The social and solidarity economy, however, is closely connected to local realities and operates with a strong sense of public purpose. This makes it particularly well suited to linking policy with on-the-ground implementation.

 

For Basic Society policies to function properly, conditions such as local-level operating bodies, structures for resident participation, and trust-based service delivery systems are essential. The social and solidarity economy already possesses these conditions, which is why it is highly suitable as a policy partner.

 

For policies and the social and solidarity economy to grow together, it is necessary to create structures in which policies are designed jointly and responsibilities are shared. This strengthens policy sustainability. In addition, financial stability and institutional autonomy must also be ensured.

 

😘Basic Society Policies Are Ultimately About Structural Change

 

A Basic Society is not something that the government alone can create. Even the most well-crafted policies cannot realize a Basic Society unless they function effectively in everyday life. This is where the social and solidarity economy plays a crucial role—by making these structures work in people’s daily lives.

 

In other words, Basic Society policies function more effectively when implemented together with the social and solidarity economy,
and the social and solidarity economy itself can become more resilient and robust by taking the lead in building a Basic Society.

 

 

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