The U.S. National Security Strategy: Policy, Process, Problems

Since 1986, presidents have been required to submit an annual National Security Strategy (NSS). Recent years have seen a proliferation of national strategies of other kinds, linked in part to the NSS. The National Security Council, led by the national security advisor and employing its committee system and the interagency process, develops the NSS. The integration of all the necessary elements within the NSS involves an opaque and irregular set of rolling negotiations among national security principals. The 2006 NSS is best viewed in comparison to the 2002 version, which was issued in the immediate aftermath of 9/11. It stipulates that the United States is at war with transnational terrorism fueled by a perversion of Islam and proposes stable democracy as the primary solution, supported by aggressive efforts to control the proliferation of weapons of mass destruction and the option of taking preemptive military action. Criteria for assessing national security strategies can be process oriented or results based.     

The National Assembly for Wales, Civil Society and Consultation

The National Assembly for Wales has been serious in its statutory commitment to involve voluntary groups in the decision-making process of state and has developed a number of sophisticated mechanisms by which civil society groups can link into policymaking, one of which is the consultation process. Drawing on original research this article investigates consultation from the perspective of those involved in a range of voluntary activities. Evidence offered here suggests that whilst many groups have engaged in the process of consultation, the experience is not uniform but patchy, with many groups left feeling frustrated rather than truly consulted.     

白寿彝先生的民族关系史观浅论

白寿彝先生是我国当代著名的民族史史学家。在民族关系史研究中,白寿彝先生强调注重民族团结、民族协作、汉族的主体性等在民族关系发展中的地位与作用等,极大的促进了我国的民族关系史史学理论的进步与发展。     

国家治理现代化与厘清国家社会市场关系

改革开放后我国出现的国家社会市场三分的格局改变了以往国家一统天下的管理模式。厘清国家社会市场关系,让三者在各自领域里发挥其作用从而促进整个社会的发展,成为国家治理现代化必须解决的一个基本问题。机构改革在政企分开、政事分开、政社分开以及行政审批制度改革、建立权力清单制度等方面为厘清三者关系作出了努力,取得了不少成绩,但还存在一些需要进一步解决的问题,比如改革进程迟缓、社会组织自主活动能力有限、法律供给滞后、逆政社分开等。未来的改革需要把厘清国家社会市场关系提升到国家治理现代化的高度来加以认识,并从价值、组织和制度等三个方面推进。