Miscellany: Everyday I'm Hustlin'

One of most fascinating examples of capitalism at work is the street seller. You've probably seen them if you've been to any major city with a lot of pedestrian traffic. They usually stock an assortment of shady items, like bootleg DVDs, cheap jewelry, or fake designer purses. They come from all races and creeds, and all different backgrounds.

When I was in Madrid, these street sellers were invariably black, presumably immigrants from any one of a number of African nations. They carried their goods on a sheet, with four strings tied at each of the corners (so that the whole bundle could be gathered up at a moment's notice). All through the night and most of the day, they'd peddle their goods.

On the one hand, these sellers are free riders, taking advantage of the considerable capital invested in both the city and the brand names without really reciprocating. On the other, if it wasn't for these sales, they might turn to a life of crime. For my part, the dance between the street sellers and the Madrid police was at least interesting. When I saw this interplay, this song kept playing in my head: