The objective of this study is to reflect on the so-called "solidary economy". The paper discusses aspects related to alienation and its recovery, as well as the formation of a legitimate class consciousness. The highly contradictory and ever-changing reality has been taken into account here. Epistemological guidance lies in fundamental categories such as the perspective of totality, centrality of work and capital as a predominating social relation. Not only theory but also praxis of certain cases involving movements of associated employees are studied. It has been seen that collective enterprises have been formed in a time of structural crisis. The reflections also show that the movement suggests a twofold choice: as organizations functional to the system, consequently a productive choice of work and income generation; and/or as a form of employee resistance. The conclusion is that the hegemonic logic of the so-called "solidary" enterprises is that they serve the current pattern of flexible capital accumulation, since the quality of selfmanagement is restricted and dependent. However, because capital is in permanent crisis, the actions of "solidary economy" are also permeated with contradictions: employees can experience some degree of "self-management" in the production process, which points to new historic possibilities from the emerging collective consciousness.
Solidary economy; Self-management; Alienation; Social changes