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The social economy is emerging as a topic of considerable research and policy interest, both on its own term and as a symptom of a changing economy and society. From crèches to environmental services, consumer co-operatives to social housing, governments in many countries have begun to introduce legislation to support social enterprises. Using case studies from around the world, The Social Economy examines the conditions that enable social enterprises to flourish and the complicated and often difficult relationship between the social economy and the imperatives of the global market. Against critics who characterize the sector as providing poor-quality goods and services and low-paid, precarious employment, this collection argues that there is plentiful evidence that social enterprise work compares favourably with the best experiences in the state and private sector.