The Sharing Economy

At the start of the new millennium, the feeling of hopefulness which marked the dawn of this new era has darkened sharply. Ancient divisions have re-emerged, exposing the fragility of a globalised world in which there is little sense of being part of a global community. Globalised economic injustice, rooted in a widely-held belief about the place of economic life in modern societies, and its reliance on 'self-interest', seems to have eroded any aspirations for a different kind of society. This book examines the origins and experience of a radical alternative to the current globalised economy. The Economy of Communion, which started within the Focolare Movement in Brazil in 1991, involves some 800 businesses and civil society organisations in a global network of solidarity, building a vibrant global community in which the values of sharing, caring and justice flourish. In this absorbing book, Lorna Gold uncovers the historical and philosophical origins of this fascinating, yet virtually unknown global community.
Drawing on the varied experiences of business and community leaders from around the globe, and from Brazil and Italy in particular, the book examines the potential of this emerging alternative economic geography to offer a new vision of globalisation.