Arbeitspapier
A new social contract inclusive of informal workers
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. The key changes needed for a better new contract are a change in mindsets and dominant narratives that stigmatize the informal economy and the inclusion of informal workers as key partners. The key features of a better new deal are recognition, responsiveness, and reciprocity, between state, capital, and informal labour (the majority of workers globally).
- ISBN
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978-92-9267-180-8
- Language
-
Englisch
- Bibliographic citation
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Series: WIDER Working Paper ; No. 2022/49
- Classification
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Wirtschaft
Informal Labor Markets
- Subject
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informal workers
informal economy
social contracts
state and capital
- Event
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Geistige Schöpfung
- (who)
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Chen, Martha Alter
Plagerson, Sophie
Alfers, Laura
- Event
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Veröffentlichung
- (who)
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The United Nations University World Institute for Development Economics Research (UNU-WIDER)
- (where)
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Helsinki
- (when)
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2022
- DOI
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doi:10.35188/UNU-WIDER/2022/180-8
- Handle
- Last update
-
10.03.2025, 11:43 AM CET
Data provider
ZBW - Deutsche Zentralbibliothek für Wirtschaftswissenschaften - Leibniz-Informationszentrum Wirtschaft. If you have any questions about the object, please contact the data provider.
Object type
- Arbeitspapier
Associated
- Chen, Martha Alter
- Plagerson, Sophie
- Alfers, Laura
- The United Nations University World Institute for Development Economics Research (UNU-WIDER)
Time of origin
- 2022
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