Using Bayesian Aldrich‐McKelvey Scaling to Study Citizens' Ideological Preferences and Perceptions

Aldrich‐McKelvey scaling is a powerful method that corrects for differential‐item functioning (DIF) in estimating the positions of political stimuli (e.g., parties and candidates) and survey respondents along a latent policy dimension from issue scale data. DIF arises when respondents interpret issue scales (e.g., the standard liberal‐conservative scale) differently and distort their placements of the stimuli and themselves. We develop a Bayesian implementation of the classical maximum likelihood Aldrich‐McKelvey scaling method that overcomes some important shortcomings in the classical procedure. We then apply this method to study citizens' ideological preferences and perceptions using data from the 2004–2012 American National Election Studies and the 2010 Cooperative Congressional Election Study. Our findings indicate that DIF biases self‐placements on the liberal‐conservative scale in a way that understates the extent of polarization in the contemporary American electorate and that citizens have remarkably accurate perceptions of the ideological positions of senators and Senate candidates.     

Federal Systems in the Global Economy: Research Issues

The emerging global economy has altered makeup of federal systemsand set the stage for new international institutions. This articleidentifies key research issues that bear upon the connectionbetween federalism and globalism. Five specific research questions are considered. The first concernsthe impact of global economic change on the sovereignty of nationaland subnalional governments. Second, the effect of the globaleconomy on intergovernmental relations is considered. Next,the question of placement of economic policy responsibilitiesin a federal system is posed. Finally, the article asks whetherfederalism eases adaptation to the global economy and protectsdemocratic values.     

制度创新是加快农村经济发展的根本保障

加快农村经济发展是解决“三农”问题的核心,也是建设社会主义新农村的中心工作。当前,制度性、体制性制约已经成为影响农村经济发展的主要症结。因此,从现行的经济和社会管理体制、农村投融资体制、农村行政管理体制等方面切入,实现制度和机制创新已成为加快农村经济发展的根本措施。     

高校毕业生就业市场拓展的探索与实践

高校毕业生就业工作是社会关注的热点,是高校人才培养和办学水平的综合体现。其工作质量和效果是检验和反馈学校教育教学质量的重要指标。随着我国高等教育改革的不断深化,高校毕业生的就业形势发生了极大的变化。近年来高校毕业生就业形势日趋严峻,毕业生就业工作中亦暴露出不少问题。对此,我们必须认真分析目前高校毕业生就业市场的现状以及用人单位的选人标准,以期为高校毕业生就业市场的开拓提供切实有效的措施。     

比例原则在我国行政法上的引入和应用

行政比例原则和行政合理性原则都是对行政自由裁量行为的控制,但二者仍有不同之处,比例原则包括三个子原则:适当性原则、必要性原则和狭义比例原则,其更具有操作性,比例原则引入我国,可应用于我国行政立法、行政执法和行政司法之中。     

Inexplicable wealth and illicit enrichment of public officials: A model draft that respects human rights in corruption cases

The employment of crimes of inexplicable wealth as an anti-corruption tool has been increasingly advocated in recent years. The United Nations Convention against Corruption calls for the creation of a crime of illicit enrichment. This paper seeks to evaluate the drafting of such crimes from human rights and criminal justice perspectives. The author considers the jurisprudence from the United States, Canada, United Kingdom and South Africa, as well as the European Court of Human Rights. The paper also evaluates the Hong Kong inexplicable wealth offence and subjects it to criticism in terms of the rights of defendants and the lack of clarity in drafting. The author concludes that there is no need for a specific crime of inexplicable wealth. A crime of corruption is perfectly adequate. All that is required is the use of a special rule of evidence which places the evidential burden upon the defendant. The use of a mandatory presumption of law is the most clear analytical method of drafting. This is consistent with human rights standards and common law jurisprudence. Finally, regulatory offences requiring proper financial record keeping and declarations of wealth should be created alongside the more serious corruption offence. These could impose strict liability. Wealth previously declared by public officials should not be presumed to be corrupt funds for the purposes of any corruption prosecution. This approach is consistent with the United Nations Convention Against Corruption and would represent an acceptable mode of implementing that treaty.     

和谐社会呼唤立法平等

和谐社会的核心问题是协调好人与人的利益关系,利益关系在法律上表现为权利义务关系。当前我国出现一些不和谐现象的一个重要原因是立法上的权利义务分配不均。只有立法贯彻普遍平等的原则,赋予每个人平等的权利和义务,做到立法平等,才能使我们的社会利益趋于均衡,实现社会和谐。