An Impulse Response Function for Corporate Taxes in Barbados

For many years, corporate taxes have been an important source of Government revenue in Barbados. The variables, namely, rate of corporate tax, real income and the rate of interest were selected when applying an impulse response function to the model for corporate taxes. The function revealed the following results after respective new equilibria were attained: First, corporate taxes would contract if the rate of corporate tax had experienced an upward shock. Second, corporate tax inflows would rise sharply from an upward shock to real income. Finally, an upward shock to the rate of interest would result in a steep contraction in corporate taxes.     

Towards a Post-Structuralist Development Ethics? Alterity or the same?

The validity of development has been cast into doubt by postmodern critiques that have highlighted its failings. Attempts to rehabilitate the idea of development have brought ethics into play. This paper examines attempts to identify a viable basis for development based on post-structuralist ethical theories developed by analysts such as Levinas and Derrida that privilege the concept of alterity, or respect for the other. This approach is contrasted with Badiou's influential critique of an alterity-based ethics, critically examining his alternative of an ethics of the same. The article concludes by incorporating some of Badiou's insights into a reformulated ethics of alterity.     

Countdown to Ecstasy: development as eschatology

This paper examines the antinomies posed by a consideration of development as eschatology. Development is generally conceived as a grand narrative with humanity progressing inevitably to a redemptive goal, whether this be revolution or Rostovian consumerism. It is eschatological in structure. This opens development theory up to critique. Grand narratives premised on an end of history are open to criticism as utopian and exclusory through setting a limit—they conceive of a redemptive ending of time, but repress those excluded from the vision. However, this eschatological structure may also have a function in the shape of the Derridian conception of ‘the promise’. This concept refers to a need to posit a closure that incorporates a redemptive, Messianic moment, which impels us to pursue the promise of that moment of development. Thus, the eschatological structure of development incorporates a risk of utopianism/exclusory violence—but we need the Messianic moment in order to conceptualise the goal that drives us to strive for progress.     

Assessing Impact Direction in 3‐point Bending of Human Femora: Incomplete Butterfly Fractures and Fracture Surfaces,,

Current literature associates bending failure with butterfly fracture, in which fracture initiates transversely at the tensile surface of a bent bone and branches as it propagates toward the impact surface. The orientation of the resulting wedge fragment is often considered diagnostic of impact direction. However, experimental studies indicate bending does not always produce complete butterfly fractures or produces wedge fragments variably in tension or compression, precluding their use in interpreting directionality. This study reports results of experimental 3‐point bending tests on thirteen unembalmed human femora. Complete fracture patterns varied following bending failure, but incomplete fractures and fracture surface characteristics were observed in all impacted specimens. A flat, billowy fracture surface was observed in tension, while jagged, angular peaks were observed in compression. Impact direction was accurately reconstructed using incomplete tension wedge butterfly fractures and tension and compression fracture surface criteria in all thirteen specimens.