Under the title "Social Solidarity Economics Act: How can projects be carried to Tunisia? On Friday, December 25, 2020, the Center for the Study of Islam and Democracy held a "virtual" lecture, which was presented by the Agriculture, Food Security and Trade Committee Chairman Moez Belhaj Rhouma.
The lecture was moderated by the center's president, Dr. Radwan al-Masmoudi, who broadcast the event via the Zoom app and the center's official Facebook page.
While the MP stressed the importance of this law, which was ratified on July 17, 2020, in changing the difficult developmental mode in Tunisia and producing new jobs, he stressed, on the other hand, the difficulties that objected to its activation essentially.
"A law that opens up great horizons"
The Social Solidarity Economic Law is a new development approach that goes against the usual trendTunisia has pursued since independence and opens up great horizons for the national economy, said Mouaz Bin Rahumah, Parliament Commission on Agriculture, Food Security, and Trade vice president. He pointed out that this option is relevant in several countries (America, Brazil, China, India, Germany, and France). after the 2008 global financial crisis.
He added that this option is also practiced in the Islamic Arab culture, and some countries still call the "Ministry of Endowments" or the Ministry of Zakat or Detention. He explained that this model and the institutional fabric it means plays a major role in supporting the role of the state concerning educational institutions, for example, where there are organizations in Tunisia and the world that also sponsor educational and health institutions, as well as charitable work. In Tunisia,
Moez Belhadj explained that this option was discussed immediately after the revolution, as many parties and national organizations called for the need to change the mode of development, given that the traditional pattern of sharp bilateral between the public and private sectors led to the rise of unemployment.
"A developmental style that balances individual and community interests"
In this regard, the lecturer explained that the traditional developmental style led to the gradual decrease of the rate of assignment in public positions after the percentage was high and led to a significant rise in the wage mass compared with the raw national income.
On the other hand, he pointed out that the private sector represents interests that serve individuals, and the experiences of the market economy in the world have reached levels of brutality. Even in Tunisia, some economic poles have reached absolute dominance over sectors of themselves, which would destroy all economic fabric without such sector, and which has often given negative results and consecrated social differences among the people of the same country.
In this sense, voices rose after the revolution, calling for a change in the mode of development, which means creating new patterns in the economy, ranging from the state's role in its social and incentive dimension to the investment climate, to a social market economy that embraces the individual interest and the common societal interest of the same people, he said.
He mentioned that these calls culminated in the signing of the social contract between the government and national organizations on January 14, 2013, followed by meetings and discussions and sincere consultations following this law, which was based on comparative international experiences. This prototype contributes 20% to the employment rate in Luxembourg and Holland, and more than 10.5% in France, while the current fabric in Tunisia is mixed A whole range of professional associations, cooperatives and mosques contribute only 0.5% of employment in the country.
What is the law of social solidarity economics?
Professor Moez Belhaj Rahumah explained that the Social Economic Solidarity Act builds an economic model that consists of all economic activities with social goals related to the production, transfer, distribution, exchange, marketing, and goods and services consumption, which are provided by social and solidarity institutions in response to the common needs of their members and the public economic and social interest, and whose goal is not to share profits.
Its objectives are to balance economic utility requirements with the values of volunteering and social solidarity, to achieve social justice and fair wealth distribution, to structure the unregulated economy, to achieve economic and social well-being, and to improve life quality
Discussion :
The lecture lasted for two hours, Many interviewees participated in the discussion and asked questions about how this law should be applied in the fastest time and how much ground there is for that in Tunisia now.
One of the speakers pointed to the number of inactive laws, which had been ratified for a long time. The deputy postponed this because of the lack of political stability, pledging to seek to activate this law as soon as possible.
Several youth leaders participating in the "youth leaders for a Better Tomorrow" project, which is conducted by the Center for the Study of Islam and Democracy and is currently working on implementing its community projects, have also intervened to inquire about the extent of the benefit of this law.
One of the speakers questioned the existence of suitable ground for implementing this model in Tunisia from a value standpoint, as it requires solidarity and cooperation, while "these values have now declined in the country".
Outputs
- The Social Solidarity Economic Act is a new development model and opens up great prospects.
- An alternative new approach to the traditional development model, which has had negative effects on the national economy.
- It changes the balance between the decline of the public sector and private sector penetration.
- Projects and youth's opportunities to find jobs are easily carried.
- Political instability is one of the main reasons for the late implementation of this law.
- the appropriate ground must be provided for the entry into force of this Law.
- Civil society must actively contribute to the promotion, interpretation, and enforcement of this law.
