Surging Self-Employment

Jesse Walker | March 18, 2009

A nice little video on Asia's informal economy, which is absorbing workers left unemployed by the global recession.

Comments

TofuSushi|3.18.09 @ 10:46AM|#

You might mention that it is Womyn's History Month in the USA too.

Bronwyn|3.18.09 @ 11:07AM|#

I'm wishing against all hope to become self-employed, but my wee li'l Etsy shop is due for demolition next February, thanks to the CPSIA.

Lucky me, I get to keep writing SBIR grants and now (thanks, Mr. President!) RC1 NIH Challenge grants.

Nothing like a new grant mechanism, unrealistic expectations and a short deadline to make you say, "Boy, do I feel stimulated!"

/Yes, I'm bitter, and looking for somewhere to vent. Seemed as good a thread as any.

Kevin Carson|3.19.09 @ 1:47AM|#

I expect we'll be seeing a lot more of this kind of thing in the U.S.: a major resurgence of the kinds of microenterprises you and Roderick Long mentioned in the "Conflation" debate at Cato Unbound (microbakeries using ordinary kitchen ovens, cab services with just a car and cell phone, etc.) by people with shortened work hours and income, coupled with a major expansion of local currency systems and informal barter networks to facilitate exchange between such people. It's happened in every other major downturn.