Digitalization in the Social and Solidarity Economy in the era of digital capitalism
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.46661/rec.11738Keywords:
Digitalization, Social and Solidarity Economy, Digital capitalism, Digital commons, Socio-economic innovationAbstract
Digitalization has reshaped economic and social structures, consolidating the hegemony of digital capitalism, as manifested in platform capitalism and surveillance capitalism, which are characterized by digital intermediation, labor precarization, and massive data exploitation. In contrast to this model, the Social and Solidarity Economy (SSE) emerges as a critical alternative, based on principles of social justice, equity, and sustainability, promoting democratization through models of collective ownership, participatory governance, and solidarity.
This article explores the digitalization of the SSE as a strategy of resistance to digital capitalism, with a particular focus on experiences developed in Barcelona between 2016 and 2023. The city has become a key space for experimentation in the digitalization of the SSE. The methodology is based on an empirical analysis of two axes: the co-creation of digital public policies and the promotion of socio-economic innovation programs oriented toward the digital commons. The first axis examines initiatives such as Procomuns 2016–2017) and Sharing Cities2018–2019), while the second focuses on programs such as La Comunificadora 2016–2021) and MatchImpulsa2020–2023.
The results reveal that the digitalization of the SSE in Barcelona has generated an innovative ecosystem seeking to challenge the hegemonic logics of digital capitalism, promoting cooperative platforms, open technological infrastructures, and participatory processes. However, the SSE faces significant structural challenges, such as a lack of financial resources, limited digital skills, and the absence of appropriate regulatory frameworks. Additionally, commercial infrastructure dependency, scalability limitations beyond the local level, territorial inequalities, and persistent gender gaps in the tech sector are highlighted. In conclusion, the digitalization of the SSE in Barcelona represents a sociopolitical arena of contestation with transformative potential.
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