The Role of Informal Economies in the Post-Soviet World

The Role of Informal Economies in the Post-Soviet World

There is a widely held belief within policy circles and some academic disciplines that in the former Soviet states the transition to a market economy is complete and that the formal economy is the dominant factor in everyday economic life. This is linked to broader discussions around the discourse of the formal economy’s dominance in everyday life. After critiques of these two arguments the book then provides in-depth discussions on the nature and importance of informal practices in Ukraine and Moscow.

While academics and policy makers often note that the forms of market economy in post-Soviet states take many different forms, they still conclude that the transition is complete. Furthermore, ...