La Cucaracha by Lalo Alcaraz for January 18, 2015

Could be one of those pyramid schemes. On the other hand, in some Indian cities, there’ll be guys who organize all the beggars in a given area. These will generally be women, sometimes with babies assigned for higher earning potential; children; and crippled men whose limbs have been deformed or amputated to raise their earning potential. The ringleaders take them out in the morning, often in the back of a large truck, dropping them off at opportune spots, and pick them up in the evening, taking in their earnings. In return, the beggars are given some modicum of food and shelter. Not exactly a franchise model, but there’s a certain entrepreneurial spirit going on. Which is to say, entrepreneurialism isn’t all an unambiguous good.

That’s been done in American cities too; I remember reading about a case where one organization had co-opted all the deaf beggars in a city.

For those tempted to pay attention to indie, I would suggest you don’t. Trolls should not be fed, but rather left to take their chances with the goats.

As far as entrepreneurialism, yes. And the anti-some drug laws have created a distorted, violent market. Then again, I would equate cartels more with large corporations, with the same sort of toxic amorality (at best). I wouldn’t totally equate the begging organizations with drug organizations, though. Different market forces at work, for one thing.

ag, even mentioning them is feeding them.

Yeah, I just figured I’d toss some extra nuance on the pile.