The Economics of Peru's Informal Market
Hernando de Soto says that the inefficient and often corrupt bureaucratic system in Peru makes starting a legal business nearly impossible for most people. As a result, a robust, informal, and technically-illegal market has emerged. De Soto explores this phenomenon -- and similar cases throughout Latin America -- in his new book, The Other Path.
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Other segments from the episode on February 7, 1989
The History of the Northwest Sound
Rock historian Ed Ward says that 1960s bands from Oregon and Washington are often overlooked. Their style was distinctive, featuring distorted guitars and raw, sneered vocals -- a sound that endures today.
A Look at the "Cultural Hierarchy in America"
Historian Lawrence Levine's new book examines the split between high and low culture. He argues that one should look at cultural horizontally -- rather than vertically -- in order to see how different kinds of art and media interact with each other, and are consumed by different social groups.
An Author Makes a Wrong "Turn in the South"
Book critic John Leonard says that V.S. Naipal's book about his travels in the American South reflects a tourist's mindset. The author's sentimental perspective prevents him from seeing the complicated race and class issues that shape the region.
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