Associative economics refers to the conscious cooperation of various components of the economy, such as labor and management or consumers, producers, and distributors. The purpose of this co-operation would be to set priorities for what items should be produced and in what quantity, and how they should best be distributed. Further questions include the conditions and rights of workers, in particular their ability to be contributing agents to the development of the workplace. The goal of associative economics is to humanize economic relationships.

The idea and term originates in the work of the philosopher and social thinker Rudolf Steiner.

Some of the themes central to/addressed by associative economics include the following:

The principles of associative economics have inspired community supported agriculture, ethical banking, social finance, community land trusts, and local currencies.

Associative economics recognizes the central role of the individual entrepreneur and the inherent regulatory effect of face-to-face transactions between producers and consumers. At the same time, it sees that the economic organism has become truly global – has moved beyond national boundaries – so that when the economy is seen from a national perspective this is only partial and potentially harmful. Though within the context of a legislative and regulatory framework, the economy is best conducted not by the State but by those who are responsible for economic activities, potentially everyone working in association with one another rather than unto themselves. It has also been described as an "altruistic stakeholder-managed economy". This picture of an autonomously conducted economy belongs to Steiner's overall conception of the threefold nature of social life.

In the early 20th century, Rudolf Steiner spoke in detail about the threefold nature of social life; not as an invention or theory, but as observable fact (also known as the "threefold social organism" or "social threefolding"). Central to this perception is the need for autonomy (separate yet conscious interaction) on the part of the three realms of social life: the economy, the rights life (including politics and law), and spiritual-cultural life, meaning the many worldviews that human beings cherish. Though historically premature, they see in the cry of the French Revolution ("Liberté, Égalité, Fraternité") three fundamental ideals of the modern human being, each of which can only find its proper place in one of these three spheres. Freedom and pluralism in the spiritual-cultural realm, including in education; uncoerced cooperation in the economic realm – where through the division of labor individuals come together to meet one another's needs; and democracy and equality in the political rights realm – where everyone comes together to sense and make agreements that are right for all.

Many things which today are considered commodities within the ‘free-market’ paradigm are differently understood within an associative paradigm. For example: land, labor, and capital. The so-called ‘factors of production’ are seen as 'factors of price formation', essentially matters of right which simply border the economic realm on all sides. However, in the associative paradigm, these 'factors of price formation' do not fall into the hands of the state.

Land is part of the commons. It is our common heritage, a resource that, in a wider sense, belongs to all (including future generations, but, again, not to the State), and which needs to be entrusted by voluntary groups and individuals to those whom such groups and individuals consider most capable of using it to meet current social needs.