中欧社会论坛 - China Europa ForumSocial enterprises: the Italian experience
Authors: Tiziano Treu
Date: 1 juillet 2010
The growing social and economic importance of social enterprises in many countries has raised theoretical and policy issues relevant for their present role and for future prospects: origins and conditions of growth, driving forces, barriers to their diffusion , legal regulation and public support, relationship with the present conditions of public welfare and with social stakeholders.
I will present here some aspects of the Italian experience as a contribution to the discussion on these issues
Organised private activities aimed at social purposes have deep roots in Italian Italy. Go beck to the Middle ages. Since their origins they have taken a variety of forms: from simple ad hoc committees to charities to stable organisations such as cooperatives and mutual aid societies. Their number, dimensions and the scope of their activities have been growing in the course of time even after the diffusion of the welfare state in the XX century; they have shown a great capacity of adaptation and sensitivity to the changing social needs while maintaining flexible and variable forms of organisation. These qualities, deep social and local roots, freedom of organisation and adaptability are at the basis of their historic and present vitality. And they have to be kept in mind when discussing the conditions of their future developments-
The Italian Constitution of 1948 has recognised (art 38) the social value of private organised initiatives in area such as social and personal assistance, pensions, health care. A specific endorsement an support is devoted to cooperative enterprises by art 45 which recognises their social function and promotes their diffusion by any adequate means while providing the controls necessary to guarantee their correct functioning.
These constitutional directives mark a cultural and institutional breakaway from the dominant ideology, of the XX century, whereby all major activities of collective interest should be exclusively performed by the State or at most delegated to private organisations for specific segments The constitutional norms imply that private citizens are entitled as such to perform functions of common and general interest. For this reason citizens are not only entitled to organise and finalised their action,also in form of enterprise but that they must be recognised as contributors to the general interest under given conditions.