Moeda social: possibilidades e limites – reflexões a partir da implantação do Ecobanco em uma Feira de Economia Solidária

Abstract

The objective of this research is to analyze the possibilities and limits of the implementation of a social currency at a Solidarity Economy Fair. The research consisted of a case study and had the participation of the members of the Permanent Fair of Solidarity Economy – viz. the solidarity economy enterprises and supporting organizations – which takes place once a month in the city of Curitiba – Parana. Data were collected through unsystematic observations during the period of the fair, using meetings records of the Ecobanco team and the fair evaluation meetings. The period of analysis was April 2011 to August 2012. For the treatment of the data descriptive and qualitative procedures were used. The article concludes that the social currency had a strong impact on the dynamics of the sales and marketing products at the fair and that there is a need to create strategies so that people understand the function of a community bank that to acts more broadly than just a the Fair of Solidarity Economy. Thus it was realized that the issues of the political and strategic debate about the implementation of a community bank has not acquired sufficient importance in the debate of the fair’s participants. Keywords: solidarity economy, social currency, fair of solidarity economy.