93

Protection against risks in developing countries has become for the international organizations one of the major thrusts of the fight against poverty. Many informal mechanisms for protection against risks exist in the developing countries. Are these mechanisms effective safety nets for the poorest sections of society? This article examines some of these mechanisms as practised among construction workers in Abidjan at the end of the 1990s. It shows, by referring to existing economics literature, that it is difficult for informal assurance to be set up on the basis of the sole rational membership of individuals. In practice, this situation depends on the solvency of the persons involved and their freedom from social regulation or populism.