3.11 Accounting for externalities
History has revealed a social division of work and the weaving of this division into the cognitive and legal fabric of society. Knowledge, as much as laws and rules, has equipped institutions with the material required to legitimize the distinction between social roles and functions given to individuals, groups, communities, organizations and institutions and make them operational. This social division of work is not in and of itself a bad thing, but requires being well thought out and evaluated1A method of evaluation similar to that of ‘Fifth Generation Evaluation’ founded on the learning and empowerment of actors. in order to avoid inserting discriminatory processes and dynamics that create social disparities and a distancing from the environmentalism issue.
Externalities have led to (and will lead to more) failures to account for certain costs, such as social and environmental ones. Though this failure to take these costs into account could be a positive thing in the end, unintended consequences could cause negative effects by creating socio-territorial disparities, demobilization and disengagement. This second type of externality, a vector of discriminatory social relationships, must be avoided to ensure transversality and complementarity of roles and functions between institutions and social entities. For example, we will have to :
- avoid having the State define itself as the one and only head of providentialism, as is the current civilizational model, to the detriment of actions by civil organizations dedicated to the common good and to public interest ;
- ensure that commercial organizations bear their responsibilities by really considering the social or environmental costs of their endeavours, all while promoting fair wealth distribution, or redistribution, and a ‘fair disposal of waste material.”
Notes
- 1A method of evaluation similar to that of ‘Fifth Generation Evaluation’ founded on the learning and empowerment of actors.