ABSTRACT
According to the economic literature and to the policy makers, the microcredit is supposed to contribute to the alleviation of poverty: it should enable poor people not only to increase their income and thus boost consumption but also to gain access to capital and start up microbusinesses. This chapter explains the weakness of the demand for microcredit, we propose to examine the social, economic, and political conditions and implications of ordinary indebtedness. Interviews were conducted in four geographical rural areas and 19 villages selected on the basis of the following criteria: 4 predominant type of agricultural activity, economic and social situation, closeness to cities, ethnic characteristics, rate of participation in microcredit, and existence of arrears in payment and/or of unpaid debts. To grasp the reasons for the lack of involvement in microcredit, it examines a series of explanations and hypotheses.
