Orders of Worth as an Analytical Framework for Understanding Alternative Economic Practices

Abstract

This article draws upon the theory of orders of worth to study those alternative economic practices that bring into question capitalism. Data from a survey administered to people engaged in 55 alternative experiences located in six Spanish towns are discussed, along with an in-depth analysis of eleven cases from the city of Salamanca, where semi-structured interviews, field observation and the regular monitoring of virtual spaces were used. These alternative initiatives build egalitarian, self-managed and autonomous communities, strongly focused on a respect for nature. However, they are compelled to incorporate market and business practices in order to ensure their internal operation and satisfy the demands from the legal environment. These corporate-like procedures are thus legitimised through compromises with domestic and ecological arguments.