An innovation economics agenda for the Obama administration

Seven recommendations are offered for the Obama Administration to ensure that the economy is on a robust growth path over the next decade. These recommendations are intended as first steps towards building the innovation-based public-private partnerships needed to drive economic growth and prosperity.

Modeling ideological polarization in democratic party systems

There are mounting claims that increasing ideological polarization is reshaping democratic party systems with important effects on the functioning of electoral politics, the correlates of voting choice, turnout, and even the representativeness of government. Yet, our knowledge of what causes party system polarization is still developing. The primary research goal is to systematically combine and test existing theories predicting levels of party system polarization across 21 established democracies. Polarization levels have generally risen since the mid-1990s. A pooled model finds that characteristics of the electoral system and the party system largely determine the continuity of party system polarization. Polarization levels also appear linked to short-term factors such as citizens’ declining confidence in the economy and increasing concerns about immigration. The conclusion discusses the implications for party systems and politics in affluent democracies.     

The benefit and cost of prison in the UK. The results of a model of lifetime re-offending

With prisons in the UK reaching full capacity, and with similar trends in other European countries and the USA, there is much political debate about the efficacy of prison and community sentences. This paper aims to inform this debate by testing the hypothesis that prisons are an effective and efficient way of reducing re-offending. A rapid review of effectiveness studies was performed to determine the relative impact of prison and community sentences on re-offending. An economic analysis was undertaken to transform the estimates of effect into estimates of the economic efficiency of alternative sentencing options in the context of the UK. When compared with standard prison sentences, a number of community-based interventions and enhancements of standard prison sentences were found to save money, both for the public sector and for society more broadly. Diverting adult offenders from standard prison sentences to alternative interventions saves the UK public sector between ￡19,000 and ￡88,000 per offender. When victim costs are considered, diverting offenders from standard prison sentences saves UK society between ￡17,500 and ￡203,000 per offender. It was concluded that standard prison sentences are not an economically efficient means for reducing re-offending.

Banks and the Communities They Serve: Time to Legislate?

In March 2007 HM Treasury published its latest thoughts on Financial Inclusion (HM Treasury Financial inclusion: The way forward, 2007), highlighting that after 10 years of activity in this area there is still growing evidence that the market is not meeting everyone’s needs, with significant numbers of people not able to access basic financial services such as credit. This continues alongside media stories of further bank branch closures in some areas, branches for high income earners only in others and the continuing controversy surrounding charges. This article will, with reference to the UK government’s financial inclusion agenda assess whether the time has come to implement legislation mandating that UK credit institutions have regard to customers needs when making decisions that could affect those most at risk from restricted access to financial services. These needs can include both access to affordable credit and access to financial services, such as bank accounts. The paper will use as a comparator the much talked about United States Community Reinvestment Act, enacted in 1977 and since amended, hailed (Barr New York University Law Review 80:513, 2005) and criticised (Macey and Miller Virginia Law Review 78:291, 1993) in equal measures, designed to ensure that depository institutions meet the credit needs of the communities they serve, particularly low and moderate income areas. Although not designed to tackle the perceived problems identified by the UK government, would enactment of similar legislation do more to achieve these aims that the activities undertaken so far. The article proposes that one way in which to improve the fight against financial exclusion is to improve the disclosure requirements of financial institutions, forcing them, where necessary, to provide data on lending patterns in disadvantaged areas.

韩国与中国台湾地区的不同发展道路

韩国与台湾地区的发展道路有重要不同。韩国是“指导的资本主义”道路,倾向于追求增长效率与市场经济的规范化,培育出了私营大企业群体,从而为进一步的发展提供了动力;台湾地区则在“民生主义”意识形态指导下走的是倾向于“均富”的道路,对市场经济和私营大企业的发展持谨慎态度,结果形成以中小企业为主的“草根经济”局面,造成工业升级和技术创新的瓶颈。韩国与台湾地区在20世纪80年代后发生经济地位的转换,与它们在高增长时期所奠定的不同基础密切相关。     

2009年南亚政治经济发展概述

2009年南亚国家政治局势发展总体向好,印度国大党赢得选举继续执政;孟加拉国新政府执政后政局保持了稳定;斯里兰卡结束了长期内战实现了和平;尼泊尔政府换届后国内局势基本稳定;巴基斯坦和阿富汗继续表现出了反恐前线的特点。南亚国家之间的相互关系有了可喜的发展,在共同应对国际金融危机的影响方面加强了彼此的合作,各国经济保持了一定的发展水平。各国在新的一年中加紧经济政策调整,以保持经济继续向前发展。     

印度低碳经济对策及对中国的启示

气候变化已不仅仅是政治经济问题,同时也关乎人类的发展,《京都议定书》创设了包括碳汇在内各种产品和服务的全新市场,但目前收效甚微,作为发展中国家的印度在全球“清洁发展机制”（CDM）市场发挥着重要的作用。分析印度的碳减排适应性措施,将对中国应对气候变化提供最直接的借鉴素材。     

港口物流与广西北部湾经济区经济发展研究

港口物流与区域经济发展是互相促进的关系。文章具体分析广西北部湾经济区发展港口物流的区位优势和面临的机遇,提出了发展广西北部湾经济区港口物流及提升北部湾经济区综合竞争力的具体建议。     

中老关系框架下的云南——老挝经济合作

从1989年云南与老挝的边境贸易恢复以来,在中老友好合作关系的框架下,云南与老挝的经济合作快速发展,取得了较大的成绩。云南省与老挝的经贸合作不断发展,合作层次不断深化,与此同时,云南与老挝在合作机制的刨新和发展方面取得了明显的成效,形成了“云南——老北合作”这样有效的合作机制。     

中朝经济关系的现状与前景

中国对外开展经贸合作的方针是始终不渝奉行互利共赢的开放战略和"睦邻、安邻、富邻"的周边政策。应当积极支持中国企业"走出去"与朝鲜企业开展互利共赢合作,在世界金融危机到来期间,中国国内民营经济也受到一定冲击,中国一些以出口加工为主业的民营企业纷纷歇业、转产,民间出现大量游资.很多民营企业家将目光瞄向了朝鲜——这块未开发的处女地。利用2009年"中朝友好年"的良机,促进两国经济关系的合作,既符合两国人民的利益,也有利于东北亚和平稳定局面的形成。