In economics the informal economy is the system of exchange used outside state-controlled or money-based economic activities.

The informal economy consists of barter, mutual self-help, odd jobs, allotment farming, street trading, and other similar activities. Most of the world's population participate in their local informal economies.

See also

• Lumpenproletariat

External links

• The informal economy in Latin America
• www.newscientist.com/opinion/opinterview.jsp?id=ns23541
• Formalizing the informal economy