The informal postsocialism
The informal postsocialism

Summary/Abstract: The "development" of the informal sector in socialism was indirect proportion to the unproductive centralized regulative mechanisms, which were constantly overburdened at a relatively low level of complexity. The postsocialist systems thus inherited informal activities developed in almost all domains. This is one of the most important characteristics of postsocialist societies, which considerably increases the transition's contingency. It is therefore somewhat surprising that the research of these phenomena in postsocialism is in such a disproportion with their frequency. The ignorance of the sophisticated informal sphere is one of the major reasons why systemic formal measures do not attain suitable results. This article recommends research of the informal sector in transition societies not only because of its important structural position but also because the informal activities are a possible supplement to the rigid formal regulation of the developed modern societies as well.

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