'This book is a gem and makes a crucial contribution to our understanding of distributive politics. Holland's discussion of the distributive implications of variation in forbearance for poor and rich citizens is brilliant.' Maria Victoria Murillo, School of International and Public Affairs, Columbia University 'When do governments choose to exercise forbearance and tolerate violations of the law? This question is ... Read moreat the heart of this painstakingly well-executed investigation of government responses to squatting and street vending in three Latin American cities. This book is an instant classic.' Hillel Soifer, Temple University, Philadelphia 'When we think of law being selectively applied in Latin America, our minds call up accounts of the wealthy and the powerful getting away with murder. This meticulously executed book turns the tables, showing how the state sometimes withholds enforcement to achieve redistributive ends. This is the most interesting twist on the politics of social provision and the rule of law to come along in many years.' Daniel M. Brinks, University of Texas, Austin 'This is one of those rare books that changes forever the way you think about an issue, in this case the endemic and enduring informality found across the developing world.' Ben Ross Schneider, Massachusetts Institute of Technology 'I found the book to be a very important contribution to the literature in the Global South on welfare provision, urban governance and electoral theory since it sheds light on the bi-directional complex relationship between the state and society, using housing and employment as a lens to study the political structures of cities.' Irene Farah, Urban Studies Show Less