Trade Unions in Africa

The following address was given before a joint meeting of theRoyal African Society and the Royal Empire Society on June 30,1955. The Rt. Hon. James Griffiths, M.P., and former ColonialSecretary, took the Chair.     

Africans and Trade Unions in Northern Rhodesia

This article represents an address at a combined meeting withthe Royal Empire Society on the 31st July, with Colonel Ponsonbyin the Chair. Ex-pugilist, secretary of the Rhodesian RailwayWorkers' Union, and engine-driver, Mr. Welensky was loaned tothe Government of Northern Rhodesia as Director of Manpowerfor the last six years.     

新社会风险下的西欧国家工会

西欧国家工会运动在第二次世界大战结束之后的30多年里进入了高速发展的时期,并形成了以男性蓝领工人为核心推动社会权益扩张的主要力量之一。但随着经济和社会的转型,在新社会风险和风险群体出现的情况下,一方面,这些西欧国家的工会力量是否受到了冲击,原有的组织结构是否发生了改变;另一方面,面对新社会风险群体,这些工会是否积极地进行了自我调整,将这些受到新社会风险威胁的群体吸引和容纳进工会保护之下是本文重点考察的内容。而本文也将对西欧国家工会运动在社会风险下的表现进行比较和归类。     

自由:一个尚未结束的美国故事--读埃里克·方纳的《美国自由的故事》

自从独立时期帕特里克·亨利呼出不自由,毋宁死的口号,自由就成了美国的灵魂.纵观美国历史上的国会辩论、总统演说、法院判例、外交文件、各种社会运动和改革的主张、乃至当今反政府的白人民兵组织的网页,自由一词无处不在.即便在日常生活中,自由也与美国人形影不离:中小学生每日必宣誓效忠自由,体育比赛前观众必高唱国歌赞颂自由之疆,大小美元硬币上均刻有自由(liberty),以自由为名的地名遍布全国.①至少从表面上来看,美国人对自由的钟爱已经达到了一种近似于偏执的程度.然而,当自由一词无所不能、无所不为、无人不用的时候,它也就失去了公认的定义,变成了一个令人困惑的概念.在众多的自由语言中,到底什么是真正的美国自由,也因而成为一个极负挑战意味的问题.正因为如此,埃里克·方纳(Eric Foner)的近作《美国自由的故事》(以下简称《自由故事》)便具有了格外重要的意义.     

中国入世对中新经贸关系发展的影响

近年来,中国与新加坡的经贸关系迅速发展.中国加入WTO,对中新经贸关系的发展是利大于弊.中国入世后,新加坡积极调整对华经贸战略,实施"中国策略".可以预见,中国入世后的中新经贸关系将在广度和深度上不断发展.     

The poor in Singapore: issues and options

This article examines the changing patterns of poverty in Singapore. As Singapore's population ages, the poor increasingly includes the elderly. It appears that ascribed factors, such as gender and race, have significant influence on financial security at old age. As the population ages, the adequacy of existing anti-poverty policy is challenged.     

The poor in Singapore: Issues and options

This article examines the changing patterns of poverty in Singapore. As Singapore's population ages, the poor increasingly includes the elderly. It appears that ascribed factors, such as gender and race, have significant influence on financial security at old age. As the population ages, the adequacy of existing anti-poverty policy is challenged.     

Civil Society Engagement in Trade Negotiations: CAFTA Opposition Movements in El Salvador

This article analyzes civil society participation in the free trade debate by focusing on networks that opposed the Central American Free Trade Agreement (CAFTA) in El Salvador. Drawing on documents, direct observation, and semistructured interviews with civil society leaders, two kinds of opposition coalitions are identified. "Critic negotiators," emphasizing active engagement and policy research, used the limited participation space opened by authorities to push for reform. "Transgressive resisters," repudiating the formal consultation process, deployed confrontational tactics and posed more fundamental challenges. This work uses social movement theory to explore coalition resource mobilization, the role of movement entrepreneurs, strategic decisionmaking, mechanisms linking local and transnational activists, and the dynamics of intramovement competition.     

The Legacy of Colonial Labour Unions in Indonesia

This article discusses the legacy of the colonial labour movement in Indonesia under five broad headings; labour unions and the development of political consciousness; labour unions as socio-economic institutions; leaders, followers and the development of worker leadership; organisations and structural legacies; and class, ethnic and religious divisions. For over three decades after the first labour union was created in 1908, union leaders struggled to build organisations that cut across the ethnic, linguistic and social class divisions of Indonesian workplaces. They had limited success. Nevertheless, labour unions did have an important role in increasing workers' wages, representing their grievances to employers and forcing the colonial government to pressure employers to improve both wages and conditions. They were central to the development of political consciousness, creating opportunities for Indonesians to acquire organisational skills and providing a channel for many to join nationalist political parties. In 1941, on the eve of the Japanese occupation, labour unions were among the strongest Indonesian organisations in the colonial towns and cities. In the aftermath of independence in August 1945 labour unions were quickly re-formed and, freed from many of the restrictions of the colonial states, recruited large numbers of urban workers. The successes and failures of the colonial labour movement were part of the collective memory of many leaders and members, influencing the direction of post-independence activities.     

Joh for PM: the Inside Story of an Extraordinary Political Drama

Joh for PM: the Inside Story of an Extraordinary Political Drama. By Paul Davey (Sydney: New South, 2015), pp.311, AU$29.99 (pb).     

Surviving Financial Crises: The Chinese Overseas in Malaysia and Singapore

This article analyses key elements of the Thaksin government's public sector reform program since 2001 in the context both of a longer history of public sector reform in Thailand, and of Thaksin's style of political rule. Carefully chosen instruments of new public management reform such as budgeting for results and performance management have been accompanied by an agenda of wholesale restructuring of the bureaucracy. However, these instruments do not include many familiar items of the public management reform agenda. The reforms are best viewed as part of a politicisation strategy aimed at asserting political control at the centre. Managerial reforms are being deployed to reshape the bureaucracy into an instrument of the Thaksin government's political program. In the process, the traditional power of the bureaucracy is being challenged and undermined. The long-term impact of the bureaucratic modernisation program on administrative performance is less certain.     

The National Wages Council of Singapore: Issues for consideration

There are important regional dimensions to Australia's globalisation. This article focuses on Australia's developing relations with Southeast Asia and argues that the increasing interdependence between the two regions is weakening Australia's liberal democracy while at the same time highlighting the fundamental differences in legitimacy that exist between Australia and its Southeast Asian neighbours. In this context, this article considers important aspects of Australia's military and foreign relations with the region, the state's role in weakening civil society, and the emerging pattern of conflict with Southeast Asia.     

When Britain Saved the West: The Story of 1940

When Britain Saved the West: The Story of 1940. By Robin Prior (New Haven and London: Yale University Press, 2015), pp.xxi + 335. AU$55.00 (cloth), distributed in Australia by Footprint Books.     

新加坡华语教育面临的难题

长期以来 ,新加坡政府致力于国家现代化和国际化建设 ,并取得了显著成效。但随之而产生的是国家主体民族———华族的民族意识淡薄 ,母语教育水平下降。政府曾采取多种措施进行补救 ,如坚持了已 2 0年的讲华语运动等 ,但华文教育仍面临种种难题。     

新加坡华人的中国情

6月23日,笔者参加了新加坡<联合早报>与新加坡国立大学东亚研究所联合主办的题为布什新外交政策及其对东亚的影响的华语公开座谈会.虽说是座谈会,规模却不小.新加坡报业中心偌大的礼堂,摆放了四百张椅子,开会时已座无虚席.在新加坡,这一类座谈会是免费人场的,市民只要事先拨电话报名即可,主办者根据报名人数安排座席.接待我们的何女士说,礼堂最多容纳五百人,以前只有像医药保健一类的演讲会,听众才会满座,像今天这样的国际形势座谈会,有这么多人报名来听是不多见的.