THE SOCIAL VALUES OF NUEVO AMANECER

By now it should be apparent that Nuevo Amanecer is far more than just a means for its members to obtain decent, affordable housing. The goals and organization of Nuevo Amanecer are informed by the social values of equality, mutual help, democratic participation, collective ownership, and self-management of resources.

These values have a rich heritage whose roots can be traced back to

• Artigas (1764-1850), Uruguay's national liberation hero, and his struggle for the abolition of slavery, equal rights for indigenous people and for women, and an independent confederation of Latin American nations;
• The work ethos, union experience, and solidarity of Italian and Spanish labourers who emigrated to Uruguay at the beginning of the twentieth century;
• Inspiration drawn from successful cooperatives in other countries such as England and Sweden.

Thus, the development of Nuevo Amanecer did not stop once all the buildings and physical infrastructure had been completed and people had moved into their homes. Rather, members have invested their energy in communal education, projects to promote social solidarity, and opportunities for training and participation in complex forms of governance.

Ultimately what members of Nuevo Amanecer and other coops are striving to achieve is a new model of urban development. While privileged sectors of society can afford to speculate on property, people on low incomes cannot. Thus, for people on low incomes, housing and essential services must be considered for their use value rather than their exchange value on the market.