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Topic 5

In a cohesive society, in which social capital is methodically cultivated (also thanks to the civil society’s commitment), economic development catches on easily and produces economic growth and welfare; on the other hand a responsible economic development (responsible towards environment, and supporting an equal distribution of wealth) produces the overcoming of forms of social discomfort and creates cohesion and growth of social capital.

For many years it has been thought that inequality is linked to development; while in the 60s it has been shown that economic development is related to social cohesion. A state of deprivation, discomfort, exclusion, cannot help development.
Personal and collective happiness and relational goods are not separated from economic development.

As Amartya Sen says, policies must create conditions for people to have a real chance to decide what kind of live they should live. The expansion of real freedom is the aim, but also the means of development.
A community welfare aimed at fighting poverty must be based on the overcoming of deprivations (income-work, house), affectivity-socialization, knowledge, accessibility, participation, democracy.
The welfare systems had the merit of institutionalizing solidarity, but in a indirect way, and such a mediation creates a barrier with necessity situations. While in community welfare, the action of all subjects favours the welfare production for the local community.

But there are necessary conditions for this to happen: the many organizing forms of the third sector offer this opportunity to thousands of people, that invest their time in actions that facilitate social cohesion.
It is necessary to develop cooperative relational goods and cohesion networks.
The great challenge is to improve the lifestyle level for Mediterranean people, which is one of the necessary condition for sustainable development, wealth increase and a higher level of communication.

Questions for reflection:

1. What are the most common forms of social commitment and solidarity in your country?
2. What is young people’s social commitment?
3. What are the welfare policies?
4. What are the actions to fight poverty and discomfort?
5. What would you ask your government to support more effective welfare policies?
6. What are the right commitments young people can undertake to make community welfare more effective and to produce economic development in your country?

Tags: mediterranean area, MeYouMe, social cohesion, third sector, welfare
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