

How the Informal Economy Could Help Save the Rest of It - awa
http://blogs.hbr.org/cs/2012/01/the_candy_man_in_america.html?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+harvardbusiness+%28HBR.org%29&utm_content=Google+Reader

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bediger
This article certainly appeals to the "Yankee Ingenuity" in all of us, eh?

But one could substitute "copyright infringer" for "unlicensed peddler", and
the gist of the argument remains intact. Heck, you could substitute "mild drug
dealer" and the gist of the argument is still true. I live in Denver,
Colorado, we've legalized "medical marijuana", and it's definitely a growth
industry, same as the "unlicensed peddling" probably is.

So, if we allow "unlicensed peddlers" to succeed, and I'm actually all for it,
where do we draw the line? With "unlicensed marijuana peddlers"? With
"copyright infringers"? Do we just say the heck with it, and let all companies
do whatever they want to their workers and their customers?

I mean, it seems fairly obvious that we need to regulate some industries
(mining) which have an amazing history of abusing workers, and other
industries which have an amazing and nauseating history of abusing customers.
But where do we draw the line and say "This regulation is bizarre and counter-
productive"?

