Optimal Growth with Public Capital and Public Services

We characterize optimal economic growth in an endogenous growth model in which production requires public capital (a stock) and public services (a flow) in addition to private capital and labor. We analyze the comparative static effects of changes in the fundamental technological and preference parameters of the model on the optimal values of several variables, such as the optimal rate of growth and the optimal allocation of resources among consumption, the provision of public services, and investment in public and private capital. We show that the general optimal path converges in finite time to the balanced growth optimal path. We relate our paper to important contributions to the existing literature by obtaining them as special cases of our model.     

Interaction of human and physical capital in a model of endogenous growth

A model of development is presented where growth is initially driven by physical capital accumulation, as in the neoclassical model. After a critical level of physical capital is reached, the economy ‘takes off’ and enters a stage of sustained growth driven by human capital accumulation. The link between these two stages is provided by the assumption that private incentives for human capital accumulation increase with the average levels of human and physical capital. At the early stages of development, these incentives are low so the level of human capital stays stagnant until sufficient physical capital is accumulated. Other results are that some economies may reach a steady state of physical capital before a ‘take-off’ is possible. This is especially likely for economies in which agents have low savings propensities. Such economies remain stuck in a no-growth equilibrium forever. Economies that do grow may experience endogenous cycles if the return to investment in human capital is sufficiently increasing in the level of physical capital.     

Does higher level of education of the labor force cause growth? Evidence from Bulgaria

This study tries to give new evidence on the relationship between human capital and output per capita in the former centrally-planned economies. Educational attainment of the labor force is used as a proxy for the human capital stock in Bulgaria. The empirical models are based on the extended Cobb–Douglas production function with labor, human capital as well as physical capital. In addition, the reduced form specifications include export and foreign direct investments. The econometric outcome suggests that an increase of the share of people with upper secondary education in the labor force is not related to the rate of long-run growth. Moreover, it is inversely related to the shortrun changes in real output. On the contrary, a positive impact is derived for tertiary education. In general, the study does not fully support the hypothesis that the higher average educational level of the population fosters growth. Export, physical capital and foreign direct investments turn out to be the driving forces of Bulgaria’s growth. A partial correlation analysis implies that the quality of human capital measured by foreign language proficiency could explain the insignificant effect of secondary education.     

Women's bread — men's capital

The family enterprises of small rural entrepreneurs in proto-industrial textile production have been little studied so far. This article focuses on the ways in which family labor assists in entrepreneurial activities and nonindustrial activities within the domestic unit contribute to the creation of proto-industrial capital. The empirical material on early modern Zurich (Switzerland) documents large household economies among entrepreneurs engaging in agriculture as well as among drapers who employ their family labor in weaving or in ancillary tasks connected with the activity of putting out dependent weavers. It also demonstrates an association between proto-industrial entrepreneurship and baking, the latter often being performed by female family labor. This finding is explained by the use of bread as a means of paying workers and by the lack of access to capital markets: baking implies the creation of a surplus value within the family economy that can be directly converted into proto-industrial capital.     

Women's bread — men's capital: The domestic economy of small textile entrepreneurs in rural Zurich in the 17th and 18th centuries

The family enterprises of small rural entrepreneurs in proto-industrial textile production have been little studied so far. This article focuses on the ways in which family labor assists in entrepreneurial activities and nonindustrial activities within the domestic unit contribute to the creation of proto-industrial capital. The empirical material on early modern Zurich (Switzerland) documents large household economies among entrepreneurs engaging in agriculture as well as among drapers who employ their family labor in weaving or in ancillary tasks connected with the activity of putting out dependent weavers. It also demonstrates an association between proto-industrial entrepreneurship and baking, the latter often being performed by female family labor. This finding is explained by the use of bread as a means of paying workers and by the lack of access to capital markets: baking implies the creation of a surplus value within the family economy that can be directly converted into proto-industrial capital.     

International integration and the determinants of regional development in China

Concerns about the duration of China??s growth and hence the question of a permanent significant contribution of China to world economic growth relate, amongst other things, to the problem of reducing regional disparity in China. While China??s high average growth is driven by a small number of rapidly developing provinces, the majority of provinces have experienced a more moderate development. To obtain broad continuos growth it is important to identify the determinants of provincial growth. Therefore, we introduce a stylized model of regional development which is characterized by two pillars: (1) International integration indicated by FDI and/or trade lead to imitation of international technologies, technology spill overs and temporary dynamic scale economies, and (2) domestic factors indicated by human and real capital available through interregional factor mobility. Using panel data analysis and GMM estimates our empirical analysis supports the predictions from our theoretical model of regional development. Positive and significant coefficients for FDI and trade support the importance of international integration and technology imitation. A negative and significant lagged GDP per capita indicates a catching up, non steady state process across China??s provinces. Highly significant human and real capital identifies the importance of these domestic growth restricting factors. However, other potentially important factors like labor or government expenditures are (surprisingly) insignificant or even negative. Extending the model using an unbalanced panel leads to a positive effect of the quality of governance and institutions on development.     

Growth,debt and public infrastructure

This paper presents a closed economy model of endogenous growth driven by capital externalities arising from both private capital and public infrastructure. The model is calibrated to fit data for India, an approximately closed economy. Simulations suggest that fiscal policy certainly matters and the choice of the income taxation rate, the mix of government spending between infrastructure and public consumption goods, and the long-run government debt/GDP ratio can all significantly affect the long-run growth rate. Intertemporal aspects of fiscal policy are also important and the precommitment (time-inconsistent) and non-precommitment policies differ substantially.     

产业升级的发展效应及其动因分析

产业升级是现代经济发展的主题之一,它体现为产业结构由低技术水平,低附加价值状态向高新技术,高附加价值状态的演变趋势。从产业结构的演进中索取经济发展速度和效益的思想,是产业政策的核心和精髓。对产业升级的动因的解释,传统经济理论主要是从需求收入弹性变化和生产率上升两个角度进行的。     

法律语境下“中国造”问题分析

“中国造”问题源于中国粗放式消耗型经济，农村廉价劳动力和资本、资源的低值大量投入换来经济的快速增长，却伴生着“中国造”与生俱来的营养不良症。对照WTO规则中国仍在完善法律制度和政策规范，也在做相应的跟进和修改。关键是要扭转思维，实现“中国造”向现代技术型标准型转轨。中国法律人应对全面解决“中国造”问题做出一份实在贡献。     

New capital accumulation in transition economies: implications for capital-labor and capital-output ratios

This paper investigates the impact of new capital accumulation on capital-labor and capital-output ratios in 26 transition economies (TE) of Central and Eastern Europe and former USSR. Using a perpetual inventory method, we estimate the amount of capital accumulated in these countries since the start of market reforms and compare it to results for developed countries and largest emerging market economies. We found that on per worker basis, capital accumulation in TE is lagging far behind that of their mature market neighbors in European Union. Disparities in capital-output ratios were not as pronounced, as higher capital-labor ratios were reached in economies with higher levels of GDP per capita. Regression analysis indicates that capital per worker was accumulated faster in TE having higher saving rates, relatively higher priced labor, closer proximity to Western Europe, and higher manufacturing share in the economy. The K/Y levels were influenced by the same determinants except for relative input costs.     

The size of the SOE sector and macroeconomic performance: an empirical study based on Chinese provincial data

Using a neoclassical growth model augmented with human capital, we investigate the impact of the presence of state owned enterprises (SOEs) on macroeconomic performance in China, using provincial data from 1990 to 2004. We estimate a macroeconomic model with panel methods to explain changes in labor productivity resulting from standard influences as well as presence of the SOE sector measured in five different ways. While controlling for growth in the labor force and physical capital, government size, exposure to trade and change in economic structure, we conclude that the relative share of the SOE sector has no significant influence on macroeconomic performance in China during our sample period.     

Test of an alternative method for determining sex from the os coxae: applications for modern Americans

A recently proposed method for determining sex from the os coxae reports a 98% success rate using European collections. The purposes of the present study are to (1) evaluate the success rate of this proposed method using modern American os coxae from different population subgroups; (2) compare the success rate of the new method with that obtained using traditional techniques; and (3) determine replicability of the new method and interobserver error. Eight hundred and seventy-six adult left os coxae were independently evaluated by both authors. Summary statistics for sex classifications were calculated for the total sample and for a random sample of 400 individuals. The impact of sex and ancestry on the success of each method was calculated on the random sample using Pearson's chi2 values. Results demonstrate that for modern American os coxae, neither sex nor race have a significant impact on the success rate for either the new or traditional methods (p < 0.01). Additionally, the success rate of the new method is comparable with that obtained using traditional techniques. Finally, interobserver error using the new method for overall sex determination is low.     

共享用工:“狭义借调”中的三方合同构成

"共享用工"是多元化用工体制的重要组成部分,涉及劳动者、用人单位(借出单位)、用工单位(借入单位)三方合同关系,与"借调"和"劳务派遣"在形式上相类似,但又存在诸多不同。从概念的内涵上分析,我国的"共享用工"属于"狭义借调"。三方合同的法律构成诸学说大多以传统的劳资两元主体结构为理论前提,无法有效解释当前多元复杂的劳动合同关系,故而需要从三方合同性质出发,重新认识劳动力与生产资料相结合产生劳动关系理论、使用从属关系(人的从属性)理论及雇主指挥管理权构成理论。在三方合同关系中,共享用工与借调、劳务派遣具有不同的法律属性,共享员工只与用人单位具有一重劳动关系,一般不与用工单位具有默示或双重的劳动关系。共享用工中的雇主责任主要由用人单位承担,用工单位可以行使用人单位让渡的部分指挥命令权,并基于部分使用从属性单独承担或与用人单位共同承担一定的雇主责任。共享用工的实施要由劳资双方达成合意,且需具备生产经营的必要性、人选确定的合理性及合同变更的合法性等条件,并通过严格履行劳动合同变更程序、明确两个企业之间的法律责任与管理权限来防范伪装的共享用工等违法行为。     

我国有组织犯罪企业化的路径及其表现分析

分析有组织犯罪企业化的过程和发展阶段,可以归纳出我国有组织犯罪企业化的两种基本路径,即有组织犯罪的企业化和企业的有组织犯罪化。有组织犯罪的企业化主要经历了暴力敛财积累原始资本、垄断非法行业形成稳定收入、设立企业向合法经济领域渗透和依托企业形成区域或行业垄断四个发展阶段。企业的有组织犯罪化主要有外在结合型和内生发展型两种类型,也要经历逐渐演变的渐变过程,即企业触黑化阶段、企业涉黑化阶段和企业纯黑化阶段。而在实现了企业化发展之后,有组织犯罪在组织管理、行为方式以及文化认同等方面皆呈现出明显的企业化特征:改变了对暴力手段的过分依赖,借鉴现代企业制度建立了分工明确、协调配合的组织结构,并根据需要设置了相应的职位、部门,呈现出企业化的组织管理模式;在运营机制、经营管理等方面表面与一般企业、公司无异,体现出明显的企业化特征和运作模式;以传统帮会文化和暴力文化为内在本质,以企业文化为外在表现,实现了帮会文化与企业文化相结合。     

A note on the non-maximality of the optimal fines when the apprehension probability depends on the offense rate

This paper reconsiders the problem of optimal law enforcement when the apprehension probability depends on the offense rate as well as policing expenditures. A natural consequence of such an apprehension probability is the possible multiplicity of the equilibrium due to strategic complementarity, and the actual offense rate is realized by the self-fulfilling nature of the offense rate. If people believe that lowering the fine will lead to a lower offense rate, each individual will be less inclined to commit an illegal activity due to their expectation of a higher apprehension probability. Thus, the maximal fine is not socially optimal in this case.     

劳动法定位的转变与劳动者、劳动力理论的更新

劳动法从传统向现代的转型过程中,劳动关系中的主、客体理论,即劳动者理论和劳动力理论必须更新。首先,必须正确区分社会学意义上的劳动者和法学意义上的劳动者,合理限定劳动关系主体的范围;其次,必须承认劳动力的商品性,确立它在劳动法律关系中的客体地位。     

Tripartite decomposition of labor productivity growth,FDI and human development: evidence from transition economies

This study investigates the relative contribution of technological change, technological catch-up and capital deepening as drivers of labor productivity growth in 14 transition economies during the period 2000–2012. In addition, the study extends the usual decomposition of labor productivity growth by encompassing the impact of foreign direct investment (FDI) on labor productivity growth in transition economies. To illustrate the relative contribution of FDI as a driver of labor productivity growth, we present a simple theoretical model that augments Kohli [Labour productivity vs. total factor productivity. IFC Bulletin 20 (April), Irving Fisher Committee on Central Bank Statistics, International Statistical Institute, 2005] and Grosskopf et al. (Aggregation, efficiency, and measurement, Springer, New York, pp 97–116, 2007) decomposition of the labor productivity. The insights derived in this model provide an underpinning to the empirical analysis in this study. Using Blundell–Bond dynamic panel General Method of Moments estimators, the main finding of dynamic panel data regressions shows that technological catch-up, technological change, and human development level, trade and demographic of population ageing are the main factors that affect labor productivity growth in transition countries. Furthermore, the findings of dynamic panel data regressions show insignificant positive impact of FDI on productivity growth in transition economies. One explanation is that the 14 transition economies that are included in this study do not reach a minimum human development threshold level.     

Post-Soviet Society and Russia’s Macroeconomic Statistics

This article investigates the causes of the distorted macroeconomic statistics in the Russian Federation. It introduces alternative methods for the estimation of gross domestic product (GDP) growth, and the growth and amount of fixed capital stock, and estimates them by drawing on alternative data. Our estimates for the period of 1992–2015 differ substantially from those reported by the Russian Federal State Statistics Service (Rosstat). According to our estimates, GDP declined by 10.2 percent, which is in sharp contrast with the official estimate reporting growth of 13.4 percent. The same is found with regard to labor productivity, for which we find a decline of 30.1 percent instead of a growth of 9.2 percent. Accordingly, the full book value of fixed capital stock shrunk by 29.2 percent instead of the officially reported 50.9 percent growth. The drop in the residual value of fixed capital is estimated at 52.6 percent. The ratio of replacement to book value of fixed capital fluctuated between 4:1 in the middle of the period and 7:1 toward the end of the period. Additionally, we estimate the amount of investment in human and physical capital necessary for producing 3 percent annual GDP growth. Financing such investment would require a decline in personal consumption by about a factor of 2, with a greater part of it falling on the better off population strata. Finally, we make suggestions regarding income redistribution.     

家政工人劳动权益保护之监察

家政工人劳动权益保护之劳动法调整范式的缺位,折射出现代劳动法历史使命再续和逻辑延伸之客观需求。家政工人在现代社会语境中所内射出来的诸多"人像"特征,有别于传统私法视域下的"人像"。固守形式平等的私法理念不能回应和规范家政工人这一特殊群体的内在利益诉求。践行实质平等之社会法理念下的家政工人劳动权益监察制度,是国家基于社会本位的思想,对弱势家政工人劳动权益给予倾斜性保护的重要利益干预和调控机制。家政工人劳动权益监察制度是在家政工人劳动权益受劳动法保护模式下的必设性制度。家政工人劳动权益保护监察制度与劳动监察制度在制度接轨时必须考量二者之一般性和特殊性。     

人力资本理论:形成、发展与启示——兼论现代科学技术条件下马克思主义政治经济学的发展

本文综述了人力资本理论的起源与发展,阐述了人力资本对经济增长的作用,认为人力资本论是对马克思主义政治经济学的劳动价值论的现代诠释,同时,从人力资本理论的角度指出西部大开发必先开发人力资本,提升西部的人力资本价值。