Legislative Constraints on Executive Unilateralism in Separation of Powers Systems

Can legislatures effectively check unilateral executive power? One prominent and counterintuitive finding in previous work is that executives pursue unilateralism less often under divided government. While executives see greater potential policy gains through unilateral action during divided government, we argue that their likelihood of acting unilaterally depends on an opposed legislature's ability to retaliate. When polarization is high and majorities are marginal, executives are freer to act unilaterally given the difficulties legislatures have in statutorily responding. Unilateralism is also more likely when facing opposition if legislatures lack nonstatutory means of punishment, such as regulatory review. In the largest analysis of gubernatorial executive unilateralism to date, we use a new data set of 24,232 executive orders in the 50 American states between 1993 and 2013 to evaluate this argument and find strong support for its predictions. These results provide insights into how legislative policymaking capacity can influence the functioning of separation of powers systems.     

Instructions for Authors

Instructions for Authors

Instructions for Authors     

The Rescue of Jews in Nazi-Occupied Belgium, France and the Netherlands

The question of why and how gentiles rescued Jews during the Nazi period has been a consistent element in the wider historiography of the Holocaust ever since 1945, not least after the creation of Yad Vashem and the identification and recognition of non-Jews as "Righteous among the Nations". Research on the Holocaust has identified, and continues to identify, individuals who meet the criteria laid down for the award, and the shelves of books devoted to memoirs bear witness to its continued popularity with the book-buying public. However, study of the topic to date has been very narrowly defined, either as sociological enquiry into the nature of altruism, or as the history of a relatively small number of dedicated individuals. This paper attempts to outline the importance of a wider context for the study of rescue under three headings. Firstly, it focuses on the linkages between rescue activities and other forms of resistance during the occupation period. Secondly, it demonstrates the importance of a regional rather than a national approach to the topic. Finally it examines how "rescue" can be seen as having a tradition; for example in the case of Belgium from the experiences of occupation in the First World War, and in the Netherlands from longer-standing rural social traditions of helping those in need.     

British Labour Relations in the 1980s: Learning to Live with the Law

Labour Law and Industrial Relations: Building on Kahn-Freund. Edited by Wedderburn, Lewis and Clark Kahn-Freund's Labour and the Law. 3rd edition by Davies and Freedland. Labour Law: Text and Materials. 2nd edition. By Davies and Freedland.     

Voluntary Greenhouse Gas Reporting—Not an Option for Much Longer

Based on the worldwide movement toward climate change, voluntary reporting of greenhouse gases is something every business—large and small—should consider doing now. Reporting makes sound business sense and will become mandatory in the US within the next few years. It provides a competitive advantage, baseline protection, input to new regulations, and preparation for emissions trading.

This article suggests that corporate officers have a fiduciary duty to voluntarily report. Not reporting could cost their companies money, unnecessary time catching up, reputation damage, and potential lawsuits from shareholders who believe that the corporate officers knew or should have known to investigate the issue and react.