The Status of State Governments in Nigeria's Federalism

Nigerian states have almost completely lost their autonomy.The Babangida years and, in particular, 1991–1992, havewitnessed unprecedented reductions in states' powers. The entrenchmentof local government autonomy and the loss of some state powersto local authorities, the reduction of states' financial powersand their share of the Federation Account, as well as the decreeof a highly centralized two-party system, all have, within theframework of structural economic adjustment and the transitionto civil rule (expected to be completed in January 1993), worsenedthe position of the state governments. However, with the establishmentof civilian governance in the states and the return of constitutionalgovernment after January 1993, the state governments may reasserttheir autonomy.     

The Farm Crisis and the Future of Rural Local Governments

America's farmers are facing difficult financial times, andtheir problems are spilling over to rural local governments.Declining farm incomes and farm property values erode the localtax base. At the same time, demand for publicly provided servicesmay increase, creating a squeeze between falling revenues andhigher costs. This article documents the impact the farm crisishas had on local government tax bases in eight multi-countyregions in the Midwest. The impacts found, while severe, wouldgenerally be manageable in the absence of other shocks. However,when changes in the intergovernmental aid system–suchas the elimination of General Revenue Sharing and other cutsin federal aid—are factored in, local governments in agriculturallydependent areas can encounter financial stress. Higher taxesand lower service levels may permanently change the qualityof life in rural America.     

西方政府公共管理的基本取向

西方国家政府在公共管理中 ,有着以维护资本主义社会制度为出发点、以掌握公共权力为目标、以实现公平与效率为途径的基本取向。     

地方政府行政成本规模及其增长测度的指标设计

对一级政府行政成本状况进行考察时,必须从广义的角度、联系当地财政收支的特点和社会经济现状及其地域地貌和人口分布特点等进行研究,更要从其相对规模、专业结构和专业效益等角度去分析,而且绝对不能绕过对预算外行政成本的考察。而考察的目的,是希望寻找到切合现实情况的行政成本的“最适合”总量规模,“最恰当”的支出结构以及最大化的专业效益。     

Urban Local Governments and the Flypaper Effect: Evidence from Maharashtra, India

This article examines decentralization in the state of Maharashtrain India, especially with respect to the functioning of itsurban local governments. Using panel data, the article specificallyinvestigates the flypaper effect of grants from the state governmentto urban local bodies. It also addresses the asymmetry hypothesis,which states that subnational governments respond differentlyto a reduction in grants than to an increase. Our results demonstratethe presence of the flypaper effect, but evidence regardingthe asymmetric response to a reduction in grants is ambiguous.     

西部大开发中地方政府的诚信建设

西部大开发是一项政府主导式的重大开发战略,政府诚信行政是其顺利实施的重要保证,这就要求西部地方政府扎实推进诚信建设.在西部大开发进程中,应从强化信用意识和责任意识、完善干部实绩考核机制、兑现各项承诺及遏制地方保护主义倾向四个方面加强西部地方政府的诚信建设.     

政府及行政人员责任缺失的现实原因解析

随着社会主义市场经济体制的不断完善,政府改革进入了攻坚阶段,"十一五"规划纲要中也提出了建设责任政府的目标。但是,当前有些政府及其人员不负责任的现象还不同程度地存在着。其中,行政权力体制、行政权力行使过程、政府责任的法律体系及执行和谋求私利的潜规则等方面的问题,是导致责任缺失的主要现实原因。     

Macroeconomic Control of Local Governments in Scandinavia: The Formative Years

The three Scandinavian countries have been able to radically decentralize their public sectors without losing the ability to control macroeconomic performance. The explanation of this puzzle is that, in all three countries, institutions have been established to coordinate economic activity levels at the local level with macroeconomic policy goals at the central level. The article investigates how these institutions were established, and pays special attention to the precise nature of these institutions since they show interesting differences among the otherwise very similar Scandinavian countries. The article pursues the thesis that institutional legacies in intergovernmental relations shape institutions like these, unless decision makers face an institutional tabula rasa. Alternative explanations are briefly considered, but the article concludes by supporting the historical approach to politics.     

地方政府竞争过程中的合作困境及化解途径选择——自我化解与外部化解的分析框架

由于博弈过程中未来影响的威胁不足以及可能的互惠缺失,在区域可持续发展背景下的地方政府间的竞争过程中,很容易产生不利于合作大局形成的囚徒困境问题.在走出困境的策略选择上,一般而言,自我化解途径与外部化解途径应是最为基本的.两种化解途径相比较,在自我化解途径中,相关约束性的规则的实施有赖于共同利益的彰显程度以及博弈者本身的高度自律;而在外界化解途径中,相关带约束性规则的制定与实施在相当程度上还需要借助于外部机构的强制性力量;同时这些规则的有效性与否,还主要取决于发现违约的概率和惩罚违约的具体程度.     

论县级市政府职能转变的制约因素

本从县级市政府职能转变的现状入手,多角度、多方位地分析了影响县级市政府职能转变的诸因素,并扼要指出目前应采取的对策和措施。     

The Implementation and Utilization of Stabilization Funds by Local Governments in Massachusetts

This paper examines the management of stabilization funds by local governments in Massachusetts. It assesses the implementation and funding of stabilization funds and explores how they were utilized to respond to a midyear reduction in state aid. We find that stabilization funds correlate weakly with unreserved general fund balances. We also construct multiple regression models to predict stabilization and general fund balances. We surmise that communities have either implicit or explicit financial management strategies in which slack resources play more than countercyclical roles. Further research is needed to determine the role of stabilization funds in local government financial management strategies.     

中央与地方政府及地方政府间利益关系分析

利益关系是中央与地方政府及地方政府间关系的核心。而在转型时期,地方政府自身特性发生了巨大变化,其经济人、政治人属性日渐增长,由此决定了中央与地方政府利益博弈关系更加激烈;地区利益的本位主义更是成了地方政府利益关系的本质特征,并导致了地方政府行为异化的现象。而要解决这些问题,必须在市场机制调节的基础上,依靠制度变迁,通过中央及地方政府的共同努力,实现彼此利益关系的均衡。