Education and economic growth in the United States: cross-national applications for an intra-national path analysis

Do the leading predictors of economic growth found in the cross-national research have a capacity to predict economic growth at the state level in the United States (US)? Are the effects of education spending on economic growth underestimated because research fails to examine the indirect effects of spending on economic growth? This article presents the findings from a study investigating the relationship between education and economic growth in US states while controlling for the effects of the leading predictors of economic growth from the cross-national research. It also utilizes a path model to examine direct and indirect relationships between education spending and economic growth measured as per capita income growth. The results indicate that spending on higher education and highway expenditures demonstrate a positive association with growth in per capita income, while K12 (kindergarten through 12th grade) spending and K12 pupil–teacher ratios demonstrate a negative association with income growth from 1988 to 2005. Moreover, K12 spending and population growth indirectly affect income growth through their relationship with K12 pupil–teacher ratios, and spending on higher education indirectly affects income growth through college attainment rates. Overall, all but one variable from the cross-national research demonstrates a significant direct or indirect relationship with income growth during at least one time-period investigated. Treating K12 pupil–teacher ratios and college attainment as mediating variables also enhances our understanding of the dynamics that explain growth in per capita income at the sub-national level in the US. However, some unexpected findings emerge when the data are analyzed on the basis of two eight-year sub-periods.     

Mayors and Urban Governance: Developing a Facilitative Leadership Style

Modern urban governance, because of its demanding and complex environment, requires a facilitative style of local political leadership that is visible, outward looking, open, and less partisan than more established forms. This article examines the impact of new constitutional expressions of local political leadership in England since the introduction of executive forms of governance for larger municipalities in 2002. The mayoral form, though established in only a handful of municipalities, is showing signs of supporting a more facilitative leadership style compared to the more widespread council leader model. This finding may be explained by the decision-making resources of mayors and their relationship to followers, which are, in turn, created by the institutional framing of their role by new constitutional arrangements. Political leadership is not simply a product of personality, capabilities, or contingency—although all of these factors play a part. Crucially, from the perspective of reformers, institutional design does make a difference and can encourage leadership practices of a particular style and form.     

Windenergieanlagen und Freiraumschutz

Zusammenfassung  In Deutschland sind gegenw?rtig über 19.000 Windenergieanlagen installiert. Dies ist klimaschutz- und energiepolitisch zu Recht als Erfolg gewertet worden, hat aber auch erhebliche Konflikte mit dem Immissions-, Natur- und Landschaftsschutz hervorgebracht. Auf die Problemlage hat der Gesetzgeber insbesondere durch Schaffung verbesserter rechtlicher M?glichkeiten für eine r?umliche Konzentration von Windenergieanlagen reagiert. Durch verschiedene h?chstrichterliche Entscheidungen sind die rechtlichen Anforderungen an den Planungsvorbehalt des § 35 Abs. 3 S. 3 BauGB als Korrektiv der gesetzlichen Privilegierung der Errichtung von Windenergieanlagen (§ 35 Abs. 1 Nr. 5 BauGB) mittlerweile in hohem Ma?e pr?zisiert worden. Die M?glichkeiten, das Anliegen des Fl?chensparens auch in die Windenergieplanung zu integrieren, sind aber durch die gegenw?rtige Rechtsetzung noch nicht ausgesch?pft.     

Central Bank Independence in the EU: From Theory to Practice

Abstract:  This article provides an overview of the practical problems which arise in ensuring the effective independence of central banks in the EU, drawing on the European Central Bank's consultative experience. Four aspects of central bank independence are discussed separately: functional, institutional, personal and financial. The possible issues raised by central bank involvement in prudential supervision are touched upon. The main conclusion of the article is that a set of legal provisions is generally not sufficient to ensure proper central bank independence; a culture of respect for independence, including its limits, among all parties involved is essential.     

Digital Analysis of Crime Statistics: Does Crime Conform to Benford’s Law?

Benford’s law suggests that the distribution of leading (leftmost) digits in data of an anomalous nature (i.e., without relationship) will conform to a formula of logarithmic intervals known as the Benford distribution. Forensic auditors have successfully used digital analysis vis-à-vis the Benford distribution to detect financial fraud, while government investigators have used a corollary of the distribution (focused on trailing digits) to detect scientific fraud in medical research. This study explored whether crime statistics are Benford distributed. We examined crime statistics at the National, State, and local level in order to test for conformity to the Benford distribution, and found that National- and State-level summary UCR data conform to Benford’s law. When National data were disaggregated by offense type we found varying degrees of conformity, with murder, rape, and robbery indicating less conformity than other offense types. Some tentative implications of these findings are discussed, as are areas for further research.     

Which Minority is Appeased? Coalition Potential and Redistribution in Latvia and Ukraine

This article tests fiscal appeasement, needs-based and coalition potential hypotheses for redistribution in post-Soviet Latvia and Ukraine. I argue that the government's decision to reward a minority population depends on the coalition potential of minority parties and voters. In Latvia, the non-participation of minority parties in governing coalitions means that the distribution of spoils among coalition partners does not benefit the regions in which Russian speakers live. In Ukraine, on the other hand, voters and parties in western Ukraine have been sought out by Russian-speaking politicians from eastern Ukraine, and the districts of western Ukraine received preferential treatment as a result.     

Landwirtschaftlicher Bodenschutz und Agrarreform*

Die Festlegung von Konzentrationszonen für raumbedeutsame Vorhaben im Außenbereich muss nach der Rechtsprechung des Bundesverwaltungsgerichts auf einem gesamträumlichen Planungskonzept beruhen und den Anforderungen des Abwägungsgebots genügen. Danach kann der Träger der Regionalplanung auch dazu berechtigt sein, die Nutzungsmöglichkeit als typisierte Größe in die Abwägung einzustellen und das Eigentümerinteresse an der Nutzung verallgemeinernd zu unterstellen. Der folgende Beitrag zeigt auf, in welcher Phase des Abwägungsvorgangs Typisierungen oder Unterstellungen in Betracht kommen und welchen Beschränkungen sie unterliegen. *) Schriftliche Fassung des Vortrages, den der Verf. am 24. 6. 2004 an der Universität Lüneburg gehalten hat. Sämtliche Beiträge erscheinen in dem Sammelband Brandt/Smeddinck (Hrsg.), Gute fachliche Praxis—Zur Standardisierung von Verhalten.     

The purpose of theEuropean Journal of Law and Economics and the intentions of its editors

European Journal of Law and Economics -