Decentralisation and poverty: conceptual framework and application to Uganda

In order to shed further light on the discussion about decentralisation‐poverty linkages in developing countries, this article introduces a conceptual framework for the relationship between decentralisation and poverty. The framework takes the form of an optimal scenario and indicates potential ways for an impact of decentralisation on poverty. Three different but interrelated channels are identified. Decentralisation is considered to affect poverty through providing opportunities for previously excluded people to participate in public decision‐making, through increasing efficiency in the provision of local public services due to an informational advantage of local governments over the central government and through granting autonomy to geographically separable conflict groups and entitling local bodies to resolve local‐level conflicts. Based on the experience with decentralisation in Uganda, it is shown that these channels are often not fully realised in practice. Different reasons are singled out for the Ugandan case, among them low levels of information about local government affairs, limited human capital and financial resources, restricted local autonomy, corruption and patronage, high administrative costs related with decentralisation and low downward accountability. Copyright © 2007 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Human rights and development: the case of local government transformation in South Africa

Local governments throughout the world are assuming a more important role in economic development of their communities as an increasing number of governments begin to decentralise powers and functions. As these lower levels of government seek sustainable local economic development (LED) strategies the human rights approach towards development becomes pertinent as globalisation accelerates. This article proposes an emphasis on socio‐economic rights as the basis for sustainable LED in developing countries. The article is based on the experience of South African local government in the period after 1994, leading up to the first democratic local government elections on 5 December 2000. Proceeding from the view that the promotion of human rights is necessary for the promotion of economic development, the article critically assesses the role of local government in the promotion of LED through a rights‐based approach. It is argued that the identification in the South African Constitution of local government with basic service provision (recently emphasised by a Constitutional court judgement) will place socio‐economic rights at the centre of LED strategies in South Africa. It is argued that this is indeed the most appropriate cornerstone of LED in South Africa. However, the transformation process that leads the country towards its progressive Constitution needs to be maintained and this article identifies five broad areas for transformation that may still be needed to entrench an adequate human rights culture within the sphere of local governance. Copyright © 2007 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

未来高技术局部战争与军人精神动力的开发

高技术局部战争是未来军事斗争的主要作战式样,为"打得赢"提供强大的精神动力是党赋予军队政治工作的重大使命.根据未来高技术局部战争的要求,深入探讨与之相适应的军人精神动力的内在需求、外部生成和时代内涵,无疑是一个具有理论和实践意义的战略性课题.     

统筹城乡发展的战略意义和主要途径

统筹城乡发展,是从根本上改变城乡"二元"经济社会结构,解决"三农"问题,全面建设小康社会,从而实现城乡人民共同富裕的一个重大战略.这是一个巨大的系统工程,必须积极稳妥地推进.     

论西部地区地方政府在产业集群形成和发展中的作用

产业集群是西部地区加快工业化进程、实现跨越式发展的有效途径。西部地区的产业集群在形成和发展过程中,西部地区地方政府起到了特定的作用,特别是随着对产业集群提高区域竞争能力内在机理认识的逐渐提高,西部地区地方政府在制定政策规范产业集群发展目标,建立产业集群平台,创造产业集群形成和发展的软硬件环境,提供公共产品和中介服务,维护平等竞争,促进产业集群的健康发展,塑造信任、合作的区域社会文化环境等方面发挥越来越重要的作用。     

加快地方政府体制创新应重点解决的几个问题

加快地方政府体制创新,应重点解决五个问题:科学、准确的城市(地方)功能定位;转变政府职能,逐步建立公共行政管理体制;继续推行政府机构改革,科学设置职能;加大政府管理改革力度,提高政府管理效能;加快行政审批制度改革,建设阳光政府;坚持依法行政,健全民主机制。     

Talking past each other: Journalists,readers and local newspaper reporting of general election campaigns in the UK

Drawing on an extensive database of local press reporting of the last four general elections (1987, 1992, 1997 and 2001), as well as contemporary interviews with journalists and editors, this paper argues that local press coverage of the constituency campaign has changed markedly since 1987, and in ways which may contribute to diminishing voter interest and participation in elections. Significantly, journalists do not perceive themselves as the ‘cause’ of voter apathy, but their efforts to ‘lighten up’ election coverage and report local election issues, contrast starkly with readers' preference for more serious reporting of the national agenda. Journalists and readers appear to be talking past each other in the pages of the local press. Copyright © 2004 Henry Stewart Publications     

论完善对地方立法中法律责任的设定

为了保证地方立法机关在地方立法中更科学合理地设定法律责任 ,立法者在拟定法律责任条款时 ,首先要体现地方立法的目的 ,同时 ,其内容的设定 ,还要体现出科学精神 ,具有可操作性 ,考虑该法在施行中的要求。但从我国现行地方立法法律责任条款来看 ,仍存在法律责任条款不协调、缺乏衔接 ,法律责任条款过于原则 ,法律责任条款有明显空白漏洞等方面的问题 ,直接影响了地方立法的有效实施。针对地方立法法律责任条款存在的问题 ,应采取加强法律责任条款的衔接和协调、加强法律责任条款的量化、避免法律责任条款的空白漏洞等措施 ,完善地方立法法律责任的设定     

Victims and Offenders in Two Crime Statistics Programs: A Comparison of the National Incident-Based Reporting System (NIBRS) and the National Crime Victimization Survey (NCVS)

The National Incident-Based Reporting System (NIBRS) overcomes a basiclimitation of the traditional summary Uniform Crime Reporting program (UCR)by collecting victim information. Using this new victim information tocompare National Crime Victimization Survey (NCVS) and NIBRS results, wefind some similarities as well as some differences in the characteristics ofvictims and offenders suggested by the two programs. Similarities appear inthe proportions of men and women involved as victims and offenders forrobbery and assault. Comparisons are more difficult and the proportions lesssimilar for property offenses. Nevertheless, the results suggest that whenthe NIBRS is fully developed, it will be an important source of informationon the characteristics of both victims and offenders. Even before theredesigned program is fully implemented, one of the most important featuresof NIBRS reports will be their ability to provide local area victimizationinformation. In addition, the NIBRS will provide much more information onarrests and the characteristic of offenders than any existing program.     

Youth participation in local politics: city councils and youth assemblies in Turkey

The focus of this study is political participation of youth in local politics in Turkey. Since local politics includes elements from both macro politics and mundane affairs, it proves to be a fertile ground to analyse how youth experience politics. Youth participation in local politics became an important issue in Turkey with the Agenda 21. The Agenda 21 that was launched with the UN Rio Summit was transferred to Turkey in the form of Local Agenda 21 leading to the establishment of city councils and youth assemblies under the umbrella of the councils. We treat city councils and youth assemblies as ‘a lost opportunity’ for now, and we ask why the youth cannot be integrated into local politics, despite the fact that they are willing to participate. Based on the interviews conducted with the members of assemblies, we try to understand the factors that lead to young people’s engagement in political life.