Foundational Economy and local development

In his ananlysis of Foundational Economy - the economy of everyday goods and services that provide the basis for a civilized life - Barbera asks what it actually consists of, whether we should be concerned about it and how ordinary people can use it to develop their own 'living spaces'.

He describes three types of Foundational Economy:

1. Material - the infrastructure and services (pipes and cables, networks and branches) which connect households to daily essentials
2. Providential - critical welfare activities like health, education and income transfers. These are welfare-critical because any constraints on access to material and providential goods lead to diminished fulfilment of human needs and capabilities.
3. Overlooked economy - the lifestyle and comfort support systems which are occasionally purchased out of discretionary income; namely by the ordinary places like the pub/bar/café/small shops that are key socializing sites for the people.

He askes how ordinary citizens can be involved in governing and promoting the Foundational Economy. He argues that something distinctive about the foundational approach to local development is emerging in connection to similar approaches like radical social innovation, experimentalist governance and place-based development. He therefore asks what is distinctive about the foundational approach to local development; and what can we and others learn from considering and comparing different approaches?