Repression and incitement: A critical demographic,feminist, and transnational analysis of birth control in Estonia, 1920–1939

This article addresses the role of inheritance in the economic well-being of widows in early modern urban Holland. It discusses marital property law and inheritance law, as well as inheritance practices, by analysing marriage contracts and wills. The egalitarian distribution of property and the strong commitment to the nuclear family embedded in law was strengthened by wills. Widows benefited from these tendencies. A comparison with English law points to the strong position of Dutch widows. The legal system enabled widows to continue the household after the death of their spouses and in this respect their situation was remarkably similar to that of widowers.     

Steering and Monitoring Model of State-Owned Enterprises

The aim of this study is to systematize the heterogeneous field of stated-owned enterprises (SOEs) especially for steering and monitoring purposes. Based on the existent literature and the heterogeneous field of the Finnish state’s share portfolio, we create a model for steering and monitoring purposes. In our model, the SOEs are grouped into categories according to how much the state as an owner is concerned with the social service assignment principle, strategic interests, or purely shareholder value interests. Consistency in the basis, extent, and listing status of SOEs for steering and reporting creates good preconditions for ownership policy decision-making and ultimately improves the outcomes of ownership policy and steering.     

Building Bond Repayment Capacity in Developing Countries: A Study on Property Tax Collections and Debt Affordability in Mexico

This article uses a multinomial regression model to analyze the bond repayment capacity of issuers of municipal bonds in Mexico. The study emphasizes the role that property and land-based taxes have in the enhancement of repayment capacity, as these are highly underutilized levies with important revenue raising potential. The findings show that there is no statistically significant link between these taxes and the chosen proxy for repayment capacity. This follows from an institutional and legal framework that creates an artificial environment of fiscal solvency. The Mexican case is instructive on how not to create a subnational bond market.     

Policies first,institutions second: lessons from Estonia’s economic reforms

Abstract

It has become convention in recent years to treat the building of institutions as the centerpiece of successful economic reform. The case of Estonia challenges this view. Although effective economic institutions eventually arose, Estonia began its transition bereft of the institutions that supposedly serve as the requisites of robust achievement. The institutions only emerged after an ideologically driven core of leaders implemented policies that laid the groundwork. In particular, the imposition of hard budget constraints sidelined political capitalists opposed to the rule of law by severing them from the state subsidies, soft loans, and other privileges on which they thrive. In the absence of a powerful class of political capitalists, Estonian governments were free to forge and continually improve a collection of institutions that sets the country apart among its postcommunist peers. Good institutions are desirable but not necessary for policy reform, and they are better seen as auspicious knock-on effects than as prime movers.     

The bounds of smart decline: a foundational theory for planning shrinking cities

Economic decline has led to a new wave of population decline throughout the US, meaning more and more cities are shrinking. Growing interest in using smart decline principles to respond to shrinkage has been met with controversy in cities such as Detroit and Cleveland. This paper advances a foundational theory of smart decline that takes as its starting point discussions of ethics, equity, and social justice in the planning and political theory literature, but is well grounded in observations of successful smart decline practice.     

盗窃正版软件标签行为性质界定——以上海首例盗窃COA标签案为视角

COA标签为正版操作系统的合法凭证。盗窃COA标签的行为不涉及侵犯著作权的问题,不构成侵犯著作权罪。盗窃COA标签的犯意不在于故意毁坏财物,不构成故意毁坏财物罪。COA标签载有一定的经济价值,其属性决定其可以成为盗窃罪的犯罪对象,因此,盗窃正版软件标签的行为应以盗窃罪论处。     

房产税调控商品房市场的效果与对策分析——以重庆、上海、北京为例

我国市场经济发展中商品房市场具有自住需求与投机投资的双重功能,国家为保障百姓生活安居乐业、国民经济协调发展,"新国五条"中通过扩大"房产税"开征范围,以支持自住需求、抑制投资投机行为调控商品房市场,在辩证分析其积极作用的同时,一定要注重其社会负效应的降低。     

从利益平衡原则看知识产权制度生态化

知识产权法是以平衡知识产权人利益与公共利益为基础建立的法律制度。利益平衡原则是知识产权法的基本原则。知识产权制度的生态化是面对环境危机日益严重的现实和环境保护一体化需求下的"回应型"制度现代化。知识产权制度以利益平衡理论作为其生态化的指导思想,阐明"生态化"是对知识产权的环境限制的理论实质。通过建立知识产权生态化的平衡机制,平衡环境公共利益与知识产权人私益的冲突,权衡环境权与知识产权的权利分配,最终实现以环境与经济协调发展为最终目标的知识产权制度生态化的重构和构建。     

债的相对性规则辨析

债的相对性是债的本质规定性,是大陆法系民法区分物权法和债权法的理论基础。债的相对性包括债的主体相对性、债的内容相对性和债的责任相对性。债权物权化和债的保全制度等情形是债的相对性规则的例外,但这些情形只是特例,根本不能动摇债的相对性规则。淡化甚至动摇债的相对性规则的观点是不妥当的。     

“竞争化”到“竞争中立化”:市场导向标准的困境及协调路径

市场导向条件经历了从美欧到西方世界小范围达成共识的过程,竞争是演进中的核心要素,竞争与贸易领域的天然联系是市场导向条件"竞争化"的原因。市场导向标准竞争中立化诠释了竞争中立从竞争领域向区域贸易规则渗透、再向多边贸易体制扩张的过程。区域自贸协定中的竞争中立以约束政府的方式规制国有企业,未能充分虑及经贸实际,使区域化协调国有企业规则的尝试面临重重困境。对多边补贴规则的修改是市场导向标准竞争中立化的新动态,恐将放大实践中矛盾与逻辑上的不自洽。WTO危机反映了规则静态与利益动态的冲突,以恪守多边主义为前提,采竞争与贸易"双轨"并行之策,在国际、国内层面协调国有企业规则,将有助于化解市场的导向分歧。