Qu’est-ce que sont les français? Social economy Vs social entrepreneurship

During the last few weeks national identity has become the main topic in French media. Even Sarko couldn’t refrain from expressing his view and could blame only la racaille this time. It seems that the French don’t know who they are anymore and what kind of society they want. Can you believe it?

Everybody knows the French are arrogant in politics, statalist in business and sophisticated at the table. Nobody likes them but everybody dreams leaving like them.

The same infection has affected the social economy. I was at the presentation of a new book of Thierry Jeantet, President of EURESA, on social economy on Wednesday. I had the impressuion everybody was asking the same question: Who are we and where are we going?

The keynote speaker was Michel Rocard, former Minister of the third Sector. I discovered that first government department for the sector was established in France – not in the UK – when a socialist president – Mitterand – was elected in 1981 for the first time.

Unfortunately the following goverments lost interest and the current government wants to get rid of it and merge it with another department. The PM has charged the Francis Vercamer MP to undertake national research on the third sector in France to take a decision.

Perhaps the UK Office of the Third Sector  will share the same destiny with with Tories. Be careful when they ask for a national consultation!?!

An even more surprising message came from third sector leaders: Gerard Andreck, President of La Macif – a mutli-million insurance mutual – acknowledges the french sector suffers of conservatism and there to be a change. The sector must leave behind the concern about forms and structures and focus on the mission. The way forward is social entrepreneurship.

I know that actually Hugues Sibille, Vice President of Credit Coop – the multi million social bank – is pushing for a new network of social entprepreneurs. The new network is raising a lot of questions amongst our fellow french, especially on social economy Vs social entrepreneurship.

I must confess I still don’t see much difference but it might be my limited understanding. Actually our event on good goverance in France and the UK helped clarify that the main tension is between collective participation – they call it democracy – and individual leadership.

You can also call it cohesion Vs innovation. The stereotype suggests that the French are inclined to lead on the on the former and the Brits on the latter. Is this the explanation for me to be in London?

In any case, this is a permanent tension in the sector and a good balance is always the best solution. This is the main outcome of Euclid Network’s event.

Going back to the book launch, another controversial point was made by Gaby Bonnand, secretary general of CFDT – the largest christian trade union in the country. He made clear that social economy enterprises – they call them enterprises rather than organisations – compete on the market and have to respond to market needs. They differ from for-profit enterprises because of a ‘for public good’ mission, but they are not against capitalism. Gaby made clear that labelling them as anticapitalist is a defeatist strategy for the sector!

Actually he encourages leaders to pay more attention to social dialogue – the relationship with trade unions – because the sector can’t hide its weaknesses in labour conditions behing a social mission.

I would argue that the sector should aim at eliminating the conditions for the need of trade unions but this might sound too controversial or utopist.

In France there are still leaders who believe that the sector must be loyal to its history. Thierry Jeantet is one of them. He invetnted the Recontres du Mont Blanc – the so-called social economy’s alternative to Davos – to preserve it. Our Thierry Weishaupt was there and you can read his opinion in his blog.

Thierry, as many others, believe in the sector as an alternative to capitalism. Is this just a dream? The crisis has reinforced this view.

I like how he stressed that Brussels doesn’t understand the sector because its an hybrid between private initiative and public good – general interest. He might be right. Actually many people are still confused about the sector because it’s special!

Following Robin Murray, I think the crisis – which is tough for the sector in France as anywhere else – is helping us understand our role in society. It don’t think we are an alternative of capitalism but its future. In any case, we have a place in society that can’t be easily replaced. Let’s see what the new year brings!