Contrapunto: The Informal Sector Debate in Latin AmericaCathy A. Rakowski SUNY Press, 1994 M01 1 - 336 pages The informal sector denotes the small-scale, unprotected, and loosely regulated activities and self-employment that proliferate in developing countries. This book is about the people who engage in informal activities and the people who study, interpret, intervene in, promote, or attempt to repress or regulate the sector. The authors bring together and evaluate for the first time competing theories, policies, and research findings on the informal sector, dealing with issues of power, ideology, and politics; basic research, applied research, program evaluation, and policymaking; exploitation, entrepreneurship, and opportunity; and poverty and the accumulation of wealth. |
Contents
Introduction What Debate? | 3 |
The Informal Sector Debate Part 1 19701983 | 11 |
The Informal Sector Debate Part 2 19841993 | 31 |
The Many Roles of the Informal Sector in Development Evidence from Urban Labor Market Research 19401989 | 51 |
Macro Level Policy Issues | 73 |
The Impact of Government Policies on Microenterprise Development Conclusions from Empirical Studies | 75 |
Macroeconomic Policy and the Informal Sector | 91 |
When More Can Be Less Labor Standards Development and the Informal Economy | 113 |
Training and Technical Assistance for Small and Microenterprise A Discussion of Their Effectiveness | 199 |
A Closer Look at Poverty Planning and Power | 221 |
Informality and Poverty Causal Relationship or Coincidence? | 223 |
Transaction Costs Formal Plans and Formal Informality Alternatives to the Informal Sector | 251 |
Conclusion | 271 |
Contrapunto Policy Research and the Role of the State | 273 |
| 289 | |
Contributors | 321 |
Informality de Soto Style From Concept to Policy | 131 |
Inside Informal Sector Policies in Latin America An Economists View | 153 |
Micro Level Intervention Issues | 175 |
The Role of Governments and Private Institutions in Addressing the Informal Sector in Latin America | 177 |
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Common terms and phrases
activities approach areas benefits capital chapter characteristics cities competition concept contribute costs countries create debate demand direct discussion domestic economic effects efficient employed employment enterprises example exchange existing expansion factors firms force formal growth households impact important income increase individual industry informal sector institutions interest issues labor market lack Latin America laws lead less macroeconomic manufacturing Márquez ment Mexico microenterprise nature NGOs notion operate organizations percent Peru planning political poor Portes potential poverty PREALC Press problems production programs projects promote rates reduce regulations relative response result role small-scale social Soto standards strategy structural studies supply technical assistance tend Third World tion trade transaction units University urban volume wage women workers