Reclaiming land, replenishing communities: MST co-operatives’ engagement with local communities through post-capitalist practices

This paper discuss how co-operatives support their local communities through small-scale localised practices rooted in solidarity, co-operation, and mutual aid, creating a meaningful and positive impact. Grounded in the theoretical frameworks of diverse economy, community economy, and solidarity economy, this paper draws from empirical data gathered in two co-operatives of the Movimento dos Trabalhadores Rurais Sem Terra (MST), in Santa Catarina, Brazil. It aims to illustrate how these organisations embody post-capitalist principles through the ethical coordinates of necessity, surplus, consumption, and commons. The findings demonstrate that MST co-operatives actively challenge capitalist extractivism by prioritising democratic decision-making, reinvesting surplus in local communities, and restoring degraded land, thereby contributing to socio-ecological justice. In contrast to capitalist organisations that prioritise profit maximisation at the expense of social and ecological wellbeing, these co-operatives challenge capitalocentrism by including care for the territory they belong to as part of their responsibility. In terms of contribution, this paper offers empirical evidence to demonstrate how co-operatives care for their local communities. Furthermore, by providing contemporary examples of social solidarity enterprises, this study contributes to the diversification of the economic landscape and gives visibility to non-capitalist practices.