Underground Economy
Underground Economy What is the 'Underground Economy'? The underground economy refers to illegal economic activity. Transactions in the underground economy are illegal either because the good or service being traded is illegal or because an otherwise licit transaction does not comply with government reporting requirements. An example of the first category includes drugs and prostitution in most jurisdictions. An example of the second category includes untaxed labor and sales and the smuggling of goods to avoid duties. The underground economy is also referred to as the shadow economy, black market (not gray market ) and the informal economy. BREAKING DOWN 'Underground Economy' Measuring the Underground Economy It is difficult to gauge the size of underground economies because, by nature, they are not subject to government oversight and do not generate tax returns or show up in official statistics....