Labour, self

In this article we shall explore, in the context of flexible capitalism, emerging forms of social insertion generated by work outside the realms of wage labour, in particular, so-called ‘self-entrepreneurship’ (autoempreendedorismo). We shall argue that this phenomenon is related to the increase in contract-based employment, which amounts to a new employment regime. Self-management (autogest？o de si) is both a promising pathway to social insertion through work, and a way of internalising certain values. This article presents an empirical portrait of the current state of self-entrepreneurship in Brazil, followed by reflections on Axel Honneth’s notion of social freedom in light of the realities of labour in self-entrepreneurship. The experience of being self-employed and managing oneself entails a paradox: more individual freedom, but a weakening of collective bonds and cooperative support systems