ABSTRACT
This chapter discusses supra and birzha in the context of the informal economy, framing the practices as everyday forms of exchange underpinned by moral, cultural and social norms often opposed to those emanating from official institutions. It suggests that the shortages are emotional rather than material, highlighting that this kind of informal exchange makes up for the increasing individualization of human relationships. Law-abiding citizens could access goods and services through a fair competition in which everyone would gain in accordance with their merits and abilities. Following mainstream political narratives, economic development brought by reforms would trickle down to the benefit of the whole population: using informal networks to access goods and services would be no longer needed. Following radical neoliberal reforms implemented by the post-Rose Revolution government, supra and birzha have largely ceased to work as effective coping strategies to make up for the difficulties in accessing certain goods and services through formal channels.
