How Brokers Cultivate Clients

This chapter surveys slum leaders across the study cities of Jaipur and Bhopal. The chapter reveals several striking facts about slum brokers in the study cities. First, slum brokers are ordinary residents of humble means who assume positions of leadership by virtue of their own efforts. Second, India's slum brokers represent a remarkable diversity of castes and religions. Third, the vast majority of slum brokers in the sample have a connection to a political party. Here, the chapter examines the self-reported political activities of the sampled slum brokers. Finally, the chapter shows that nearly eighty-eight percent of the slum brokers in the sample were men.