The Informal Economy in Martinique: Insights from the Field, Implications for Development Policy

The informal economy is a growing phenomenon in cities of developing countries, a fact which has aroused the attention of many development planners who view it as the key to solving urban poverty. This article presents new research on the cross-class dimensions of informal economic activity in Martinique, French West Indies. Research results about the cross-class linkages of informal exchanges suggest obstacles for planners who consider poor informal economic actors to be ripe targets for development. I argue that effective development strategies will require planners to take into account empirical field studies based on ethnographic as well as quantitative approaches.