Bibliograph

Stealth of nations, the global rise of the informal economy, Robert Neuwirth

Type

Label

Stealth of nations, the global rise of the informal economy, Robert Neuwirth

Language

eng

Bibliography note

Includes bibliographical references (p. 265-274) and index

Index

index present

Literary Form

non fiction

Main title

Stealth of nations

Nature of contents

bibliography

Oclc number

277197029

Responsibility statement

Robert Neuwirth

Sub title

the global rise of the informal economy

Summary

When we think of the informal economy, we tend to think of crime: prostitution, gun running, drug trafficking. Stealth of Nations opens up this underground realm, showing how the worldwide informal economy deals mostly in legal products and is, in fact, a ten-trillion-dollar industry, making it the second-largest economy in the world, after that of the United States. Having penetrated this closed world, Robert Neuwirth makes clear that this informal method of transaction dates back as far as humans have existed and traded, that it provides essential services and crucial employment that fill the gaps in formal systems, and that this unregulated market works smoothly and effectively, with its own codes and unwritten rules. Combining a vivid travelogue with a firm grasp on global economic strategy--along with a healthy dose of irreverence and skepticism toward conventional perceptions--Neuwirth gives us an eye-opening account of a world that is operating all around us, hidden in plain sight.--From publisher description

Table Of Contents

The global rummage sale -- Grade A, plan B, middle C, system C, vitamin E -- DIY city -- The global back channel -- The culture of the copy -- Can anybody tell me how to get to the bridge? -- The upside of down the trade -- Once upon a time in the west -- Against efficiency -- The honest con men -- Why not formalize the informal? -- Freedom to trade

Classification

Creator