Income and Wealth Inequality in Nepal, 1996 and 2004: Changes and Socio-demographic,Spatial and Economic Determinants

Micro-data from national surveys indicate that economic inequality remained high and relatively unchanged in Nepal during the middle 1990s and early 2000s. Using household income and wealth as indicators, this study finds that many of the demographic characteristics, such as age, caste, ethnicity and widowhood, determined mostly along traditional social hierarchies, play influential roles in determining inequality in much of Nepal. In urban areas and especially in Kathmandu, however, these factors have proved increasingly less influential, replacing them with such factors as migration, education and labour market participation. These changes highlight the mechanisms through which different social groups are experiencing inequality, with important implications for the much needed economic, social and political stability of the country.     

Business Power and Tax Reform: Taxing Income and Profits in Chile and Argentina

This article examines efforts to increase taxation of highly concentrated, undertapped income and profits in Latin America in the aftermath of structural adjustment. Argentina has advanced further than Chile in two policy areas: corporate taxation, which taps firm‐level profits; and tax agency access to bank information, which helps reduce income tax evasion. These outcomes are explained by drawing on the classic concepts of business instrumental power, which entails political actions, and structural power, which arises from investment decisions. In Chile, strong instrumental power removed reforms in both areas from the policy agenda. In Argentina, much weaker instrumental power at the cross‐sectoral level facilitated corporate tax increases. Bank information access was expanded after Argentina's 2001 crisis weakened the financial sector's instrumental power and reduced structural power.     

2009年泰国政治、经济和外交形势

2009年泰国政治、经济和外交形势复杂,且三者相互纠结,互相影响.政治上,纷争仍未结束.经济上,第一至第三季度连续滑坡,到第四季度才实现增长.外交上,利用东盟轮值主席国地位积极开展多边外交,但泰柬关系的恶化带来一些消极影响.     

泰国2010年政治、经济和外交形势

2010年泰国政治、经济和外交形势都有较大程度改善。政治上,政府成功解决了3月至5月的国内政治危机,完成宪法修订,政府威信逐步提高;经济上,克服了政局动荡和自然灾害的消极影响,实现强劲复苏,全年GDP增速达到7.8%,创15年来最快年度经济增速;外交上,进一步深化与中国等大国的双边关系,但与柬埔寨的关系仍未得到彻底改善。     

泰国政治权力结构调整的动力、路径与困境

基于对政治利益集团权力斗争的分析,本文认为,近年来泰国政局持续动荡的根源在于政治权力结构调整所面临的转型困境。20世纪90年代以来,泰国在全球化外部风险与国内城乡发展失衡的双重压力下,形成对国家发展道路的重新选择要求。经济利益结构的改革压力,形成对"碎片化"政治权力结构的调整动力。1997年东亚金融危机爆发,成为推动泰国政治权力结构调整的契机。既得利益集团倾向于保留"碎片化"格局的改良方案,但代表新资本集团的他信派系倾向于政治改革,要求建构由其主导的"层级式"政治权力结构。他信派系得益于新资本集团与农民群体的政治联合,在"政治权力结构—经济利益结构"大循环调整过程中占据优势;既得利益集团得益于国王权威的支持,在"政治权力结构—政治文化传统"小循环调整过程中掌握主动。双方在政治权力结构的调整过程中相互制衡,从而使得泰国的政治秩序迟迟未能重建。     

美国个人消费的趋势探讨

财富效应和信用杠杆是第二次世界大战以后美国个人消费增长的主要驱动因素。在2007至2008年次贷危机后,由于金融界致力于规避风险,政府着手强化对金融业的监管,美国财富积累和消费信用杠杆的政治、经济和社会基础都受到了严重侵蚀;此外,美国人口分布也正在酝酿结构性的变化。这一切预示着美国人的消费意愿和能力将保持在一个较低的水平上。因此,以预期美国消费上升为基础的宏观或微观发展战略,将面临越来越严重的风险。     

泰国民主的前景:军权、法制、金钱与政党

2007年8月19日,泰国新宪法草案顺利通过全民公投,这是继泰国军方去年发动政变以来泰国民主进程重要的一步.宪法草案通过后,泰国政治局势逐步明朗,大选也将于年底举行.但是,回顾近一年来泰国民主政治的种种怪现象,泰国民主未来的发展走向不容乐观.