Length of independence and democratic failure

This article takes as a point of departure a well-known but rarely tested assumption in the literature on state-building and democratisation, namely that democratic regimes in newly established states are politically unstable. When states take their first steps as independent entities, the state-building process is often incomplete, the political institutions fragile and democratic routines yet to be established. However, with increasing years of independence, these democratic shortcomings are expected to be remedied. This makes it reasonable to assume that the likelihood of democratic failure decreases with increasing years as an independent state. Based on an extensive empirical data set, the conclusion was reached that there is indeed a negative relationship between the length of independence and democratic failure and that this association is insensitive to the period in time when the countries received their independence. Furthermore, the results suggest that the length of democratic rule has a positive impact on democratic stability. However, this pattern is detectable only in states created after 1946.     

LETTERS

正It is an appropriate choice to create the BRICS New Development Bank,because it signifi es reorganization of the international economic and monetary system,which obviates over-dependence on the U.S.dollar.The new bank will consolidate the fi nancial independence of several states and stimulate the economic revival of many developing countries,especially in Africa.The BRICS nations command great force.I advise them to cooperate with the Community of Latin American and Caribbean States     

More Than IndyRef2? The Referendums (Scotland) Act 2020

Demands for a second Scottish independence referendum have persisted since 2014. The Scottish government introduced the Referendums (Scotland) Bill at Holyrood in May 2019 to enable referendums within the competence of the Scottish parliament. The Scottish National Party (SNP) government presented this as a framework enabling a range of referendums. Opponents saw this as legislating for a second independence referendum. The act will form a large part of the legal framework and rules for any second independence referendum. Importantly, the legislation provides innovation in electoral law more generally. This article discusses the background to the bill, its initial contents, and debates around and amendments to the bill. It discusses its electoral law innovations, before considering its limitations and place as constitutional debates play out over a second independence referendum.     

清末部院之争初探

清末为仿行宪政而进行的官制改革使传统的司法制度发生了历史性的变革。法部由于承担了包括审判在内的过多职能而阻碍了司法改革的进一步深入。为实现审判独立 ,大理院与法部就死刑案、重案的复核权及人事权展开了激烈的争夺。清政府未能及时解决改革中出现的问题 ,致使部院之争逐步升级。在清政府行政手段的调整下 ,部院之间终以相互妥协的方式就权限划分达成一致。部院之争不仅是政治体制近代化过程中机构之间的权力之争 ,更是司法权与行政权实现彻底分离这一变革与传统体制之间不可避免的冲突。     

论司法独立

司法独立由司法的本质所决定, 是市民社会与国家对立的必然产物。司法欲独立, 必先独立于立法与行政, 次须独立于社会, 特别是传媒; 上下级法院以及法官之间亦须相互独立。欲保障司法独立, 必使法官任期终身, 享优厚之待遇, 以及司法豁免权等。     

The myth of ‘independent judiciary’: the evolution of judiciary-executive relations in Turkish politics

The position of judiciary in politics is an important area of discussion for both legal and political experts. The issue has particularly been on Turkish political agenda for the past decade with the emergence of a strong single-party government under the Justice and Development Party (Adalet ve Kalk?nma Partisi-JDP) rule. This article aims to analyse the evolution of relations between the judiciary and executive in Turkey from a historical perspective by examining the Republican era until the JDP rule. The struggle over the control of institutions becomes more visible during periods of strong government and the analysis shows that the idea of an independent, apolitical judiciary is a myth that was created by the institutional and legal design of the Republic in the Turkish case and is not peculiar to the JDP government.     

欧洲中央银行:独立性及其司法解读

《建立欧洲共同体条约》赋予了欧洲中央银行在货币政策、组织与人事安排、财政等方面的高度独立性,其目的在于保障欧洲中央银行货币政策职能的顺利实现.欧洲法院的司法裁决表明,欧洲中央银行的独立地位是一种有限的、功能性的独立,并不是绝对的独立.欧洲中央银行不能在欧盟法律框架之外独立存在,但在该法律框架下,欧洲中央银行的货币政策职能的独立行使会得到有效保护.     

论我国司法预算制度的改革与完善

司法预算是司法制度和司法程序的物质基础。司法预算的独立对于实现司法独立,提升司法的品质都具有非常重要的意义。要最大限度地实现司法公正,除了要实现司法预算的独立之外,还要对司法预算进行合理配置。我国司法预算不仅不独立,而且配置也非常不合理,应当进行彻底的改革与完善。     

论工会在劳动关系中的独立性与代表性——基于企业工会干部职业化的若干思考

企业工会在劳动关系中存在着对企业的依附性,难以实现劳资关系的博弈制衡,有其多方面的社会历史原因.为使企业工会更好地维护劳动者合法权益,构建和谐稳定的劳动关系,以上级工会从社会上招聘、派遣为特征的企业工会干部职业化,是目前探索企业工会成为劳资关系中平等主体的基本思路和主要模式.然而,这种"嵌入式"的企业工会干部职业化模式,虽然强调了企业劳动关系中工会的独立性和专业化,但可能会出现工会代表性的先天不足.符合中国工会性质和职能要求的企业工会干部职业化,应以"内生"于企业的工会代表性为基础,以工会在劳动关系中的独立性为表现形式.     

Citizen oversight of independent police services: Bifurcated accountability,regulation creep,and lesson learning

By examining developments in England and Wales this article considers police reform in the context of the tension between operational independence and citizen oversight. The article assesses the nexus between regulation and accountability in order to shed light on how a bifurcated accountability paradigm has protected police autonomy. Particular significance is attached to the cold‐blooded police shooting of an innocent man as a critical moment in the recent history of police governance. The lesson‐learning strategy of the Independent Police Complaints Commission, created under the Police Reform Act 2002, is singled out as an important driver of police reform. Although police governance reform in England and Wales is context specific, it is held that appreciation of the regulation accountability nexus and complaints as lesson‐learning opportunities are of significance in other jurisdictions and sectors.