Economic Growth and Basic Human Needs

An enduring debate in the political economy of development turns upon the question of whether trade-offs exist between economic growth and the equitable provision of basic human needs (such as adequate nutrition, shelter, and education) in poor areas. Much of the empirical work on this "growth-welfare"debate has supported the argument that improvements in basic welfare and enhanced economic performance are mutually reinforcing processes. But if the relationships between improved welfare and factors of growth have been fruitfully examined, the effects of growth and growth-oriented policies upon subsequent levels of poverty and inequality are less clear. In a past issue of this journal, political scientists Bruce E. Moon and William J. Dixon argue that higher rates of economic growth do not improve a nation's ability to meet the basic needs of its population. However, two problems undermine Moon and Dixon's analysis and cast doubt upon the accuracy of their conclusions. I address this concern, constructing and estimating a dynamic model of the impact of growth upon basic welfare that tries to account for these problems. The findings confirm Moon and Dixon's general conclusion, but suggest that the impact of growth-related factors upon basic needs outcomes may be less enduring than they had supposed, with beneficial consequences of either positive externalities or effective government intervention (or both) soon outweighing any detrimental effects of sustained growth.     

Is there aJ-curve for the economic transition from socialism to capitalism?

It is often assumed that the process of transition from socialism to capitalism involves a dislocation and disorganization of the economy in the early stages of the transition. Thus, it is argued, economic performance will at first worsen and then gradually improve as the new system takes hold. This paper argues that, based on evidence from Czechoslovakia, Hungary, and Poland, there is no evidence for such aJ-curve phenomenon. Using a simple macroeconomic model, we show that, in these three reforming countries, the decline in production can be explained by exogenous shocks to the balance of trade, to investments and to autonomous consumption. This finding also suggests that macroeconomic policy in these countries may be too restrictive to permit a recovery of employment and production.     

ACCENTUATE THE POSITIVE—ELIMINATE THE NEGATIVE

The article reviews the California court system and the adversary system for resolving divorce and makes substantial recommendations for changing this process, emphasizing judicial management in a problem-solving context rather than the current system of pitting the two parents against one another. This article represents a major statement in the nature of a forum to create a more humane and just process.     

Bureaucracy and implementation of complex tasks in rapidly developing states: Evidence from Indonesia

Political institutions play key roles in rapidly developing states. This article describes the complex and overlapping responsibilities of Indonesian government institutions and explains how they affect policy design and implementation in two policy arenas: primary education and soil/water conservation. It suggests that the struggles for control over local level implementation between general (territorial) regional government and branch offices of specialized, central ministries seriously constrain performance in these two sectors. Dwight Y. King is associate professor of political science and associate of the Center for Southeast Asian Studies, Northern Illinois University, DeKalb, IL 60115 (internet: dking@niu.edu). He continues use research on how the structures of national bureaucracies and the policies governing them affect civil servants’ behavior and economic development, as well as the political economy of bureaucratic reform.     

A survey of the concentration of 19-OH F1 alpha/F2 alpha prostaglandins in the semen of fertile, infertile and vasectomized men and their stability in both liquid semen and semen stains

The levels of 19-hydroxy-prostaglandins F1 alpha/F2 alpha (PG F) in the semen of 19 vasectomized, 44 infertile and 8 fertile men were determined using a simple RIA technique. The mean concentrations observed in this survey were 45 micrograms/ml, 49.5 micrograms/ml and 59 micrograms/ml, respectively. No significant difference was recorded between the vasectomized and infertile groups; there were too few fertile samples available to undertake a meaningful statistical comparison. No reduction was observed in the levels of this PG in a liquid semen sample retained at room temperature over a 4 week period in the presence of a bacteriostat (sodium azide). However, a 30% reduction in the levels of 19-OH PG F occurred over the same time period when aliquots of the same semen sample were retained at either room temperature or at 4 degrees C without azide. Finally, no reduction was observed in the concentration of 19-OH PG F in a series of 10-microliters semen stains stored over a period of 6 weeks at room temperature.     

The motives of political party activists: A factor-analytic exploration

Students of political motives have had difficulty relating operational indicators to the conceptual framework (associated with Clark and Wilson) that has dominated the field. The present analysis suggests that since this framework is concerned with organizational incentives rather than with individual motives, some fine tuning of the three dimensions included in the original typology may be in order and two additional dimensions need to be added. While this revised framework does not lend itself to the tangible versus nontangible motives overlay conventionally associated with the original framework, a perhaps more useful overlay is suggested which may contribute to a better understanding of what distinguishes party activists from those persons who restrict themselves to more elementary forms of political expression.