A new social contract inclusive of informal workers

Martha Chen, Sophie Plagerson and Laura Alfers

No wp-2022-49, WIDER Working Paper Series from World Institute for Development Economic Research (UNU-WIDER)

Abstract: This paper makes the case that current social contracts are often inadequate, irrelevant, or unjust for informal workers. It outlines three possible future scenarios: the bad old contract, an even worse contract, and a better new contract. Under the bad old contract, informal workers lacked legal recognition, were stigmatized and penalized, and were excluded as partners. The intensification of predatory capitalism, repressive state policies and the collusion of state and capital, in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic recession, makes the possibility of a worse new deal all too real.

Keywords: Informal work; Informal economy; Social contract; State; Capital (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2022
New Economics Papers: this item is included in nep-cta, nep-dem, nep-hme, nep-iue and nep-pke
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (1)

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Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:unu:wpaper:wp-2022-49

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