The Trend of Regeneration and Social Enterprise in the UK

Abstract

This paper explores the regeneration policy and the social enterprise promotion policy in the UK since the late 1990s, and aims to clarify how these policies have had an influence on civil society and what kind of counterplan they have. Firstly, the paper has an overview of the trend of these policies under the Labour government (1997–2010), and refers to the theory of local governance as an important issue. Secondly, the paper analyses how neoliberalism, which is a dominant policy thought at this time, has an impact on participation and solidarity within civil society. It also focuses on the policies related to civil society and public services under the Conservative-Liberal Democrat Coalition government (2010–2015), especially the influence of its austerity policy. Finally, the paper introduces two alternatives to neoliberalism from civil society. One is called governance of resistance in local politics, the other is called FairShares Model on the practice of social enterprise. These attempts try to overcome the impact of neoliberal policies. The paper points out how the new challenge has potential on participation and solidarity from civil society.