ABSTRACT
In the public areas of Lima, a large crowd of people is at work. In the daily search for an income, many inhabitants from the poor neighborhoods of the Peruvian capital go out and seek customers. They sell a wide range of prod ucts at the bus stops and in the streets, plazas, and other public spaces. Some are producers selling their end products, others limit their activities to street vending and buy their merchandise from wholesalers and producers. Clothes, furniture, soft drinks, toilet paper, and all kinds of foods are just some of the products that can be bought. In Limas center, the many market stalls and small carts make walking and driving a difficult exercise. The large-scale presence of the small-scale economy impresses many visitors to the capital, and is confirmed by statistics. In 1993, more than half of the eco nomically active population worked in the so-called informal sector of the economy (Garate and Ferrer, 1994: Table m.2a).
