Between state and market

From a political perspective, cities are places that contain people, organisations, groups and stakeholders, all of whom seek ways to relate with each other and to coexist according to more or less institutionalised social mechanisms. By contrast, in 'mercantile' cities human relationships are based on interest, on individual benefit, which precludes more harmonious and community-based types of coexistence.

However, cooperation and the dynamics of the social and solidarity economy call for integrating the economic and political debate into a more general discussion about the city that we want. It is therefore necessary to find a way for the economy to positively affect society as a whole.