Reviews

Recently, various authors have examined the relationship between growth in government size and total economic growth. In each case, the authors permitted only a monotonic relationship. This paper examines the issue of a non-linear relationship between growth in government and overall growth in the economy.Government contributes to total economic output in various ways. The provision of Pigovian public goods enhances the productivity of the private sector inputs increasing total output. However, the public decision-making process can result in an inefficient quantity of public goods. The likelihood of this outcome increases with the size of government. Further negative effects are created by the revenue raising and spending mechanisms of government, and the increasing diversion of resources into unproductive rent-seeking activities. The magnitude of these effects is likely to increase with the relative size of government.     

Rural Development Councils: An Intergovernmental Coordination Experiment

Eight pilot state Rural Development Councils were establishedby the federal government in 1990 to coordinate rural developmentefforts among federal departments and agencies and to establishcollaborative relationships with states, local governments,and the private sector. After one year of operation, these councilsprovided a mechanism for the participating states to definethe rural issues relevant to their unique settings and to worktoward the accomplishment of their goals. In addition, the processallowed federal officials in Washington and in the states toutilize the discretion available in the system to maximize collaborationand cooperation. Additional states will be involved in the effortin 1992. Three types of agendas or expectations surrounded theinitiative: substantive, political, and process approaches.Although it is too early to determine the extent to which thecouncils have "delivered" on these expectations, the experimentprovides preliminary evidence of the scope of federal abilityto stimulate change within a state as well as the economic andpolitical forces that constrain it.     

The transition of migratory patterns in medium-sized cities

"The authors attempt to present some empirical findings regarding a phenomenon which they chose to call the 'transition in migratory patterns'.... The general hypothesis states that: changes in migratory patterns are due to an interaction between those economic, political and social processes which affect the distribution of the population; and that this interaction is also highly influenced by macroeconomic politics--an arena where technology plays a dominant role." Data are for Guadalajara and the state of Jalisco in Mexico. (SUMMARY IN ENG)     

Family types and communication with parents: A comparison of youth at different identity levels

Recent theory views adolescent behavior as nested in an ongoing system of family relationships. In keeping with this focus, differences in family functioning of high vs. low identity achievement youth were examined and variables to account for differing identity levels were explored. However, the hypothesized relationship (Circumplex Model) between family type and communication was also examined. Subjects were 411 male students, 18–24 years of age, belonging to intact nuclear middle-class homes, who resided with parents in urban areas. Measures used were the Identity Achievement Scale, Family Adaptability and Cohesion Evaluation Scale, and the Parent-Adolescent Communication Scale. Results supported an association between balanced family type and effective communication (p.001). Significant differences in the family types were found (p.001), with high identity subjects belonging to balanced families, experiencing more openness (p.01) and less problems (p.01) in communicating with parents. Openness with father, mother, and problems with father emerged as significant discriminants. There are important implications for counselling and therapy with youth, placing family at the center of the psychosocial milieu influencing their development.Received Ph.D. from H.P. University. Research interests: adolescent psychosocial development, youth, identity, and family influences.Received M.A.; Ph.D. from Boston University; Panjab University. Research interests: family interiors, women studies, life stress, self image (DAP), sexuality, myths, holistic healing, and tribal women.     

Policy failure and public support: The Iran-Contra affair and public assessment of President Reagan

The Iran-Contra affair is an example of the type of event that is expected to give rise to a rally of public opinion behind the president. However, the public's response to this event, uncharacteristically, was a sharp decrease in support for President Reagan. This case study constitutes an attempt to explore the sources of the public opinion response to foreign policy events. Statements of political elites, news coverage and commentary, and public opinion assessments are examined to test the patriotism, priming, and opinion leadership explanations of the rally phenomenon. The actions of opinion leaders appears to provide the best explanation of the differential public response to the Iran-Contra affair.     

Suicide by jumping from buildings

A study of 82 suicides during 1982-1986 that were committed by jumping from buildings was performed using the case files of the Office of the Medical Examiner of Metropolitan Dade County in Miami, Florida, U.S.A. The analysis involved the age, race, and sex of the victim along with the results of toxicologic studies and the cause of death. Additionally, the decedent's place of residence, location of the suicide, height of the building, and the reason for the suicide were investigated. Whether or not a note was left by the decedent was also ascertained. The suicidal "jumper" most commonly was a white man who was greater than 60 years of age who died from the resultant multiple injuries. The victim commonly was sober and drug free at the time of the incident. In approximately two-thirds of the cases, the location of the suicide was the victim's residence, which frequently was an apartment or condominium-type dwelling that was seven floors or higher from the ground. The victim often had experienced depression prior to the incident and did not usually leave a suicide note. This article compares the Dade County cases with others that have been studied and discusses the reasons why jumping from a building may have been chosen as the suicidal mechanism.