Macroeconomic Policy and Government Popularity in Norway 1963–1986*

Following the mainstream modelling of ‘politico-economic interaction’, the author reviews the major analyses of the Scandinavian countries. Noting that empirical findings diverge, both for the reaction function and the popularity function, the article estimates these relations on Norwegian data. For the popularity function, the analysis suggests that rates of inflation have a weak, but statistically significant impact on the popularity of governments. For the recent non-socialist governments, the analysis suggests greater impact of unemployment and real wage growth as well. The results for the reaction function support the mainstream notion that declining rates of inflation and increasing unemployment tend to cause more expansionary government policies. The estimated equations do not support the proposition that the election cycle or governments position on the opinion polls influences economic decision-making. Finally, the findings are discussed in the light of traditional normative positions     

The Importance and Limits of Party Government: Problems of Governance in Denmark*

Pluralist democracies face the dilemma of reconciling representation of interests and government control. The tension between representation and governance is a problem for political parties in particular and has presumably become more important in recent years, at least in Denmark. Using data from questionnaire surveys of Danish political elites it is shown that interest organizations and bureaucrats indeed pose problems for party government. Some institutional changes might lighten the tasks of parties, but there is no way of avoiding the basic democratic dilemma.     

政府治理特征及模式抉择

政府治理实际上是国家权力向社会的回归,政府治理的过程就是一个还政于民的过程。政府治理模式的选择,最为重要的是价值取向的确定。由此而抉择的政府治理模式才能得到社会的认同。     

The Electoral Effectiveness of Party Organization: Norway, 1945–1977*

Latent Variable Partial Least Squares analysis has been used to model the impact of political party organization on stable and changing patterns of party vote in Norway from 1945 to 1977. For the Norwegian Labor Party, the elaboration of a strategy of organizational encapsulation is at least as important as the economic base for maintaining the stability of the party's electoral support; it also depresses support for the opposition parties. Short-run fluctuations around the long-run stability, however, are more influence by economic changes than party organizational strategies, with the exception of the divisive 1973 election, when party organization was important for maintaining the party vote. For the non-Labor parties, party organization is less important than economic variables.     

Reforming the U.S. Department of Transportation: Challenges and Opportunities of the Government Performance and Results Act for Federal-State Relations

This article examines attempts during 1993–1999 to reformthe U.S. Department of Transportation to hold it accountablefor achieving improved program results through performance measures.These attempts affected the department's relationships withCongress and the states. The political context, institutionalstructure, federal system, and separation of powers into whichthese reforms were introduced limited the course and outcomesof the reforms. For the reforms to succeed, changes need totake place in the behavior of state transportation departmentsand members of Congress. However, there are no clear incentivesfor either constituency to change its behavior. Instead, thestates' political interests in maintaining their flexibilitiesand the electoral concerns of members of Congress create incentivesthat undermine rather than enforce reform.     

论我国宪法权利限制的实质、困境与对策

尽管享有权利是人类社会生活的一部分,但为了维护公共利益,个人宪法权利还必须受到限制。然而,权利限制的最终目的还是为了保障人的生存与发展,进而实现人的价值。由于诸多原因的影响,我国宪法对公民宪法权利的限制存在着一定的缺陷,不利于公民宪法权利的实际享有。因此,亟需从宪法权利限制的原则、方式和具体条文等方面完善我国宪法权利的限制。     

The Politics of Cultural Dissent: Religion, Language, and Demonstrative Effects in Norway*

The problem d cultural identity is central to political science. Three distinct elements of cultural identity are defined: the conceptual, symbolic. and de-monstrative. Religion. language, and the teetotalist movement are suggested as indicators of these three components in the Norwegian context. The relative importance of these three aspects of cultural differentiation is analysed with regard to the changes in the Norwegian patty system in the years after 1884. It seeqs that language was the most significant element of cultural dissent in the formative years of the Norwegian party system.     

Analysing Central–Local Government Relations in Different Systems: A Conceptual Framework and Some Empirical Illustrations*

Restructuring of central and local government relations has occurred in a number of countries during the 1980s, and has been a striking phenomenon even in such different countries as Poland, Sweden and the US. In the first part of the article a resource framework is presented, designed to make basic comparisons of these relations between different countries. Five sets of resources are identified: constitutional-legal, regulatory, financial, political and professional resources. It is argued that local-government disposal of such resources provides a potential for local discretion. The applicability of the framework is illustrated by reference to a study of Poland, Sweden and the US, focusing on the restructuring of central and local government relations in these countries during the 1980s. The conclusion is that decentralization has occurred in all three cases, especially in terms of regulatory and other non-financial resources. However, in Sweden and the US this trend has been counterbalanced by centralization of financial control. In Poland the post-communist revolution has paved the way for a restoration of the pre-war local self-government system. Democratic elections at the local level are seen as crucial to break down the old, centralized party-state system, and to reintroduce a dual local government system. In all three cases economic pressure, related to the individual countries' positions in the world capitalist system, seems to have been the main driving force beind the decentralization processes. However, the forms, magnitude and effects of decentralization must be seen in relation to the specific political economies and histories of the three countries. Thus, to understand the causes, mechanisms and effects of central–local government restructuring in depth one has to relate the resource approach to a broader theoretical framework.     

Blowing Hot and Cold – Intergovernmental Relations Capacity in the Commonwealth Government

The role of the intergovernmental affairs specialist is to protect and extend the powers of the jurisdiction for which he works (Donald Smiley quoted in Warhurst 1987 ).     

农村土地权属管理中存在的问题及解决对策

农村土地权属管理是明确农村土地所有权、使用权归属,化解农村土地权属争议的一项重要管理工作。目前,我国农村土地权属管理中还存在着土地权属争议复杂、处理难度大,立法模糊、适用法律不统一,以及基层土地权属管理制度不够完善等一系列问题。为此,必须进一步完善土地立法,明确土地确权原则,加强依法行政,加大对土地权属争议的调处力度,重视有关土地政策法律的宣传工作,同时注重借鉴其他国家和地区的土地管理经验,从而扎实推进农村土地权属管理工作的有效开展。     

Piling On: Multilevel Government and the Fiscal Common‐Pool

This article discusses the common‐pool problems that arise when multiple territorially overlapping governments share the authority to provide services and levy taxes in a common geographic area. Contrary to the traditional Tiebout model in which increasing the number of competing governments improves efficiency, I argue that increasing the number of overlapping governments results in “overfishing” from the shared tax base. I test the model empirically using data from U.S. counties and find a strong positive relationship between the number of overlapping jurisdictions and the size of the local public sector. Substantively, the “overlap effect” amounts to roughly 10% of local revenue.     

就业与再就业:政府行为选择与市场原则取向

一、就业与再就业：多年累积的问题 　　　　客观地讲,我国无论政府或个人在就业问题上的态度大都比西方发达国家努力得多。但是,由于社会保障制度不健全,过高的失业率对社会稳定及失业者的生活与心理压力使就业与再就业不能不成为普遍关注的问题。历史地看,近年集中表现出来的失业现象,是一个多年累积的连锁性问题。 　　　　从市场化改革进程看,各项改革措施都不同程度地在就业问题上留下了难以回避的现实。 (1)1994年以后,当经济增长方式转变作为中国的一大课题时,由粗放型经济向集约型经济转变中必然出现在业人员数量与结构的重…     

关于我国目前政府绩效评估的现状、问题和政策建议

政府绩效评估作为政府公共管理的一个重要工具近年来受到我国各级政府的高度重视,也得到越来越广泛的应用.但是,由于我国各级政府开展绩效评估工作尚处于起步阶段,很多地方对政府绩效评估的本质与规律认识尚有不足,各地政府在绩效评估的进程上也呈现出较大的差异,因此需要从根本上对我国政府绩效评估工作展开反思和总结.本文在分析了我国政府绩效评估的现状和问题的基础上,提出现阶段改进我国政府绩效评估工作的若干指导性原则和具体政策建议,以对改革和促进我国地方政府绩效评估工作的科学化和规范化起到积极作用.     

江西动漫产业现状、问题及对策研究

下属文化产业的动漫产业在我国经济发展大潮中凸显出其强大的生命力。本文从江西动漫产业发展现状、存在问题入手,提出了观念的转变与创新、借鉴吸收我国发达地区及西方发达国家动漫产业发展经验、拓宽文化市场投资融资渠道、发挥赣文化资源优势培养特色动漫产业及健全人才培养机制等五个方面的对策。     

The political transformation of a social democratic state: As the world moves in,Norway moves right*

Political change in Norway, as shown by a conservative resurgence, has to be considered in the context of half a century of social democratic dominance which has deeply affected political institutions and party policies. Change has become evident throughout the system, but the institutional components of the ‘social democratic state’ inhibit the shift towards a more traditional liberal‐pluralist regime. Recent developments, however, indicating a move to the right, especially evident for young voters, together with social democracy's own ideological self‐questioning, now point to the dismantlement of the social democratic state.     

A ‘Talent for Bureaucracy’: A.F. Davies and the Analysis of Government in Australia*

In an address in 2003, Senator Kim Carr cited A.F. Davies' much‐quoted observation that Australians have ‘a characteristic talent for bureaucracy’ (Carr 2003: 3). He referred to the achievements of bureaucrats like Nugget Coombs, then went on to discuss questions of accountability, values and political control in the Australian public service. How could the public service be responsive and responsible, and contribute to the maintenance of a democratic society, in today's world? Certainly, these were core concerns of Davies, as Walter argues in an insightful article (1999). Davies, Walter argues, ‘was concerned, throughout his career, with the links between bureaucracy and democracy’ (1999, 25), fearful that the life‐world is increasingly being structured by expertise, and in the domain of the experts, there is little room for individual voice, for passion, or for democratic control. Davies' concerns, and those of Carr and Walter, raise important questions about the way in which we understand the structure of government, the significance of our changing understanding for the democratic ideal, and the implications of these changes for social scientists.     

机关事务标准化:理论逻辑、实践困境与路径选择

机关事务标准化是国家治理体系现代化的重要组成部分,也是提高地方政府治理能力的重要举措。机关事务标准化蕴涵着秩序、体系、科学和效益的逻辑。然而,在推进机关事务管理的实践中,也面临诸如职能定位模糊,标准化体系尚未健全,标准化实施难以落地等困境。基于此,需加快机关事务管理的法治化进程,通过信息化和精细化水平的提升来推进标准化的建设。同时,做好国家标准与地方标准、行业标准和团体标准的衔接机制建设,厘清不同标准的边界。加快标准化的分类体系建设,做好强制性标准与推荐性标准的发布与实施。     

The Racial Bureaucracy: African Americans and the Federal Government in the Era of Segregated Race Relations

This article employs archival research to examine how the segregationist order was introduced and maintained in the Federal civil service between the 1890s and 1945. In the article a racial bureaucracy is defined by two characteristics. First, one group of employees was placed in a subordinate position to others, both formally and informally, as a consequence of their race. Second, physical working conditions and daily routines were constructed around the segregation of one group of employees because of their race and, furthermore, advancement and promotion within the bureaucracy was delimited by race. This framework is used first, critically to assess two common views of the composition of the US federal government (the local race state thesis and the weak state thesis), and second, to illustrate how segregation impinged directly upon African American employees in a range of agencies and positions.