The political effects of referendums: An analysis of institutional innovations in Eastern and Central Europe

Theory suggests that the political effects of referendums should vary according to the institutional provisions that allow for direct involvement of citizens in decision-making. Relying on extant theoretical models the paper proposes initial tests of some implications for the newly democratized countries in Eastern and Central Europe. The constitutions of these countries distinguish themselves by a wide variety of institutional provisions for referendums. Taking advantage of this increased variance, the paper demonstrates effects of different institutional provisions on policy outcomes, which, so far, have only been demonstrated at the sub-national level, for example, in the United States and Switzerland.     

对社会主义协商民主的理论阐释

协商民主是20世纪80年代兴起于西方的一种民主理论范式。传入中国后,引起了国内学者的广泛关注,党的十八大提出了发展社会主义协商民主的目标。从结构上看,社会主义协商民主应该包括党内协商民主、执政协商民主、国内党际协商民主以及人民协商民主四个方面。就目前而言,我国既存在着发展社会主义协商民主的有利因素,同时也存在着民主传统缺失、选举民主不发达、公民社会发育不成熟等不利因素。发展社会主义协商民主,在思想上要正确理解社会主义协商民主与西方协商民主、政治协商以及选举民主的内在区别,在制度上要将协商嵌入票决民主的已有制度结构,在行动上要选好社会主义协商民主的突破口。     

官场“潜规则”的表现、成因及对策

近年来,官场潜规则在中国日益盛行、泛滥猖獗,激发了群众不满和社会担忧。作为政治瘟疫,官场潜规则与我党性质和宗旨格格不入。它败坏党风、毒害民风,使政治民主进程受损、政策法律贯彻不力,严重危害社会秩序和党的执政安全,需全党高度警惕并采取强力措施进行抵制。     

Can service providing NGOs build democracy? Five contingent features

This article studies the role of service providing NGOs in the Middle East in promoting democracy. Challenging the assumption that service providing NGOs are apolitical, the authors argue that service providing NGOs play important roles in promoting democracy. They do so by serving as public arenas, or spaces in which members and beneficiaries practice democratic habits such as discussion and debate, collective problem solving, free expression, rights claiming, and the like—all of which contribute to the cultivation of a participatory form of democracy. Drawing upon existing literature, interviews, and participant observation of NGOs in Egypt, Lebanon, and Palestine, the authors argue that five features shape the role of service providing NGOs in promoting democracy. These include: (1) organizational readiness, or the organization's embeddedness in its beneficiary community and its organizational capacity; (2) organizational governance, or organization's commitment to participatory representation and transparency; (3) the nature of service an organization provides; (4) an NGOs' collaboration with other NGOs and the government; and (5) donor risk tolerance. The article's analysis contributes to our understanding of the varied, and often overlooked, roles of service providing NGOs, advancing the literature on NGO-state relations, NGO-donor relations, and democracy promotion.     

论权力资源的法律调控方式

对权力资源实施法律调控 ,需要以民主宪政制度为基础并建立分权制衡体制。除此之外 ,还应注意对相关权力实行重点调控 ,注重以法律形式确认和保障权利 ,从法律上健全权力的责任追究制度。契约形式是区别于传统命令方式的权力资源法律调控的新形式。除法律形式外 ,权力资源的实现还有非法律形式 ,应当合理界分两种权力资源实现形式的适用范围     

民族地区少数民族就业促进制度建设研究

各自治区及其他民族地区自成立后,特别是改革开放以来,全面贯彻党的民族政策,坚持民族区域自治制度,采取多种措施促进少数民族就业,不断完善就业服务机制,积极制定和实施相应的民族政策法规,少数民族就业数量质量明显提高。受到诸多因素综合影响,民族地区经济总体发展水平与发达地区有较大差距,影响着民族地区经济的发展和少数民族就业的实现。提升少数民族就业竞争能力,离不开就业促进制度建设和路径规划,这涉及我国作为多民族国家劳动就业制度设计的重大问题,更离不开民族地区有效转化国家立法政策,不断创新民族地区就业促进制度和实践。     

新中国成立初期中国共产党领导政治建设取得的辉煌成就

新中国成立初期,中国共产党带领人民实现了从民族危难到民族独立的转变,并朝着民族复兴的目标阔步向前。在此阶段,我党始终坚守政治性这一根本属性,重视政治建设,于摸索中前进,于前进中总结。在推进新民主主义向社会主义过渡,并建设社会主义的过程中,中国共产党守正创新,领导中国人民逐步建立完善的政治制度体系;解放思想,正确看待社会主义矛盾问题;以人为本,巩固发展社会主义民主与法制;实事求是,坚持确立党和国家的领导制度。     

全过程人民民主:时代价值、制度基础与实践空间

全过程人民民主是党的十八大以来我国社会主义民主政治发展的全新理论命题。全过程人民民主是中国共产党在百年未有之大变局下对人类政治文明新形态的实践探索,是推进国家治理现代化的现实逻辑,体现了中华民族伟大复兴中国梦的内在要求。在中国共产党的百年探索历程中,全过程人民民主有坚实的制度支撑、规范的运作机制、具体的程序设计,是最广泛、最真实、最管用的民主形态,既突出了中国社会主义民主政治发展的显著特色,也彰显了具体民主形式中所蕴含的人类共同价值。在新的历史起点推进全过程人民民主,要坚持党的领导、人民当家作主和依法治国的有机统一,在理想与现实、普遍性与特殊性、制度与实践的平衡中,适应人民群众对美好政治生活向往的需要,有目标、有步骤、有重点地积极推进。     

Accountability of Public Servants under Dominant Political Settlements of China: Effects,Challenges, and Issues

Some scholars think that accountability is attainable only under the electoral political system. However, it is argued that China could achieve some weak accountability even without general election system. How could this be achieved in China? The paper attempts to analyze this question with the following steps: first, it describes the specific accountability system by categorizing different approaches based on four dimensions, then focuses on the impacts that these approaches would have, which are based on finance, fairness and efficiency. It is concluded that under a dominant political settlement, only weak accountability exists in China, not real or strong accountability.     

宪法诉愿制度与民主、法治的关系

宪法诉愿制度有主观的权利保障和客观的宪法秩序维持二重性功能,该制度还有宪法实现、平衡国家与个人关系以及少数保护的功能。宪法诉愿制度与民主有着抗衡专制的共同价值取向,是一对互相促进的共生体。宪法诉愿制度与法治的关系首先体现在制度本身包含了法治原则,宪法诉愿制度的施行对法治理念的传播也起到了积极的作用。