The Organization of the Executive Branch in Latin America: What We Know and What We Need to Know

This article proposes a research agenda for the organization of the executive branch in Latin America by reviewing the literature on the U.S. and Latin American presidencies and outlining the research gap between them. The study finds that while strong, regionwide patterns have been established about cabinets in Latin America, research is lagging behind on the presidential center, presidential advisory networks, and their effects in policymaking. The article sets forth a series of research questions and suggests a combination of quantitative, social network, and case study strategies to address them.     

You Win Some, You Lose Some: Constitutional Reforms in Chile's Transition to Democracy

Chile's 1989 constitutional reforms constituted a trade-off: the military gave up protected democracy provisions but acquired greater autonomy. The democratic opposition could accept or reject, but not modify, constitutional changes proposed by the outgoing dictatorship. This study addresses a very limited time period in the transition to democracy: the moment after the transition has been secured and transitional rules have been established. The dynamics of this period differ markedly from those in the larger democratic transition. The approach in this study complements alternative explanations of why the 1989 reforms benefited the outgoing dictatorship more than the incoming democratic government. Although the outgoing regime granted several opposition demands by reducing restrictions on political pluralism and eliminating barriers to political party activity, it also secured provisions that made the military more independent of civilian authorities than originally conceived in the 1980 Constitution.     

"走出去"--到缅甸做生意

1988年9月缅甸政府全面对外开放,使缅甸与周边国家的经贸关系得到全面发展.1997年东南亚金融危机爆发后,东盟国家对缅甸的影响有所减弱.中国加入WTO特别是江泽民主席访问缅甸后,更有利于中国企业到缅甸去投资.2002年9月8日-11日,国家外经贸部举办第六届中国投资贸易洽谈会,其间举行了"走出去"研讨会,缅甸是唯一被列入讨论的东南亚国家.这说明国家外经贸部对缅甸市场的重视.     

新冷战,怎么办?

新冷战与其"原型"存在本质区别."新时代"的主要内容是试图维护既得利益或是收复失地的西方展开反攻,力图阻止刚刚开始的对世界的重新分割.这一正在展开的对抗,其实质正是为了遏制对老西方不利的历史进程.俄用自己的行动和姿态"助长"了新冷战的开端.既然冷战即将揭幕,只能遵从其逻辑.但在面对种种挑拨离间时,俄应当时刻想着更长远的事情、更可怕的未来.     

俄罗斯人如何看待自己的十年改革

在俄罗斯改革10年之际,俄罗斯科学院社会综合研究所会同德国艾伯特基金会就改革的种种问题,做了一次题为“俄罗斯:10年改革”的全俄社会抽样调查,内容涉及俄国人对改革成败得失的评价、改革后俄罗斯社会环境、生活准则、社会精神心理气氛、人们的生活战略、俄罗斯社会结构和居民社会地位的变化等方面。调查对象总共1750人,年龄18岁以上,包括11类人:企业、矿井和建筑行业的工人;工程技术知识分子;人文科学类知识分子(学者、高等院校教师、中小学教师);商业、日常服务、运输、通讯领域的工作人员;职员;中小企业家;军人和内务部人员;村镇和农村居民;城市退休金领取者;高等院校学生;失业者。调查后所形成的研究成果共分为13个部分,其中有关2001年以前的材料,是借鉴俄罗斯社会和独立问题研究所在1992—2000年间所做的研究成果。下面是其中的一部分,摘译如下: