‘Soft’ forms of direct democracy: Explaining the occurrence of referendum motions and advisory referendums in Finnish local government

This study investigates ‘soft’ forms of direct democracy and identifies factors that explain their occurrence. Soft direct democracy refers to non‐binding referendum motions and advisory referendums, which the literature on direct democracy has largely ignored. Strategic motives have dominated previous explanations of the occurrence of initiatives and referendums, but are less useful in exploring non‐binding procedures of direct democracy. The article distinguishes four types of factors – socio‐structural, party system, political support and learning – and tests hypotheses on their effects with sub‐national data from Finland. The data enable us to compare two different types of instruments – non‐binding referendum motions and advisory referendums – while controlling for many unobserved factors. The findings show that erosion of political support, participatory traditions and policy diffusion explain the occurrence of bottom‐up referendum motions, while the last two together with small population and party system factors predict the occurrence of advisory government‐initiated referendums.     

地方政府间正和博弈的可能性分析及对策

本文试以博弈论为工具,分析了处于“囚徒困境”中的地方政府间关系,提出了地方政府寻求正和博弈解的两条途径：从外部引入中央与社会两参数,形成多维互动,从内部实现制度创新。     

近代中国的政治发展——以中央和地方关系的演变为维度

由外族入侵带来的民族压力促使近代中国开始了自救。在独立民族国家地位丧失的背景之下,近代中国政治发展艰难起步。为了谋求改变,政界和学界引入了大量迥异于传统中国的思想观念和制度模式。中央和地方关系的演变就是这一政治环境下的产物。通过中央和地方关系的演变历程,我们不难发现近代中国政治发展的基本特点：其开启来自外部挑战;其应对过程充满纠结;其发展主题随着社会环境的变化而变化;其总趋势是为了国家统一;其本身对政治现代化起到了推动作用。     

Exploiting the common pool or looking to the future? A study of free-riding leading up to the 2007 municipal amalgamations in Denmark

ABSTRACT

Municipal amalgamations can create incentives for opportunistic behaviour. Several fairly recent studies have examined this on amalgamations in Denmark and Sweden using the so-called law of 1 over n. However, they have yielded inconclusive results and I argue that one plausible explanation is a theoretical deficiency in the law, as it does not account for how future political representation can mitigate the incentive to free-ride. I examine this using large-scale amalgamations in Denmark in 2007. This case is quite unique as the amalgamations were implemented in such a manner that they constitute a quasi-experiment, and because an extra fiscal year was added to the election period where the composition of the new councils was known with certainty, while the municipalities retained some decision-making power. The study’s findings are consistent with the argument that the incentive to free-ride depends on the decision makers’ future political stake in the new, amalgamated municipality.     

Can constituent states influence foreign and security policy? Coalitional dynamics in India

Abstract

The Indian state has undergone significant transformation since the late 1980s, most notably the extensive decentralisation of power, with consequences for the formation and implementation of Indian foreign policy. This article explores the role of India’s constituent states explaining the extent and limitations of their autonomy and influence. It deploys and extends the state transformation approach to incorporate considerations of issue area and coalition type. Under coalitions led by typical national parties, subnational governments are less likely to influence foreign and security policy. Under the same coalition type, they are more likely to behave autonomously on non-traditional security issues such as sharing of water resources with neighbouring countries. They are less likely to behave autonomously on security issues such as the transnational expression of ethnic solidarity. Under coalitions led by atypical national parties or regional parties, subnational governments are likely to exercise a moderate level of autonomy and influence on issue areas such as transnational expression of ethnic solidarity. They are likely to exercise a high level of autonomy and influence on non-traditional security issues such as sharing of water resources. The framework is illustrated through Tamil Nadu’s activism on Sri Lanka, and West Bengal’s position on water-sharing with Bangladesh.     

Money,candidates, and mayoral elections

In this paper, we extend a well-trod line of research from congressional and state-level elections—the electoral impact of campaign expenditures and candidate characteristics—to a relatively understudied context, urban mayoral elections. Using a sample of large U.S. cities, we provide evidence that mayoral elections are very similar to elections at other levels of office: there is a tremendous incumbency advantage, one that is overcome only with great effort; campaign spending is closely tied to incumbent vote share but it is challenger rather than incumbent spending that seems to drive outcomes; and challengers are hopelessly outspent. In addition, we find that the effect of local economic conditions on incumbent success is mediated by challenger spending and that incumbent candidates fare better in racially diverse settings.     

Rhetoric in municipal amalgamations: a comparative analysis

ABSTRACT

There is a large literature that seeks to evaluate municipal amalgamations ex post, but a relative dearth of scholarly inquiry into the practical political task of persuading the public to accept amalgamations ex ante. We address this important gap in the literature by conducting a rhetorical analysis to ascertain what types of arguments are believed to be efficacious for persuasion on amalgamation. We find evidence to suggest belief in the efficacy of persuading the public through recourse to various projected dreadful consequences, particularly amongst opponents of amalgamation. We conclude by considering some of the reasons behind the observed rhetorics and briefly outline one possible solution.     

区域立法与中央和地方立法关系的完善

我国区域立法应定位为介于中央与地方立法之间的又主要依托于地方立法的、涵盖社会生活各个方面的特殊立法形式。区域立法主要由主体、权限、程序和协调机制四个基本要素构成。以区域立法为视角观察，当前我国中央与地方立法关系存在许多问题，如中央立法过于集权却未形成足够的权威、地方立法权配置失衡以及中央与地方立法权运作缺乏完善的协调机制。区域立法对于调谐我国中央与地方立法关系有着特殊而重要的意义。     

对转变乡镇政府职能的几点认识

本文从分析两种不同的乡镇政府职能观入手,提出乡镇政府应着重强化社会管理和公共服务这两大核心职能,并进一步探索了方法与对策。     

政策对象对地方政府政策执行力提升的影响

政策对象的成员数量、组织程度、拥有的社会资源、受教育程度、价值观念和认识能力对政策执行力有明显的影响。提高地方政府对民众的政策执行责任意识和加强政策对象自身的政策素养对提升地方政府政策执行力有重要意义。