Opinion formation in foreign policy: the Swiss experience

Applying John Zaller's model of opinion formation to survey data covering 15 years (1981–95) of direct democracy in Switzerland, this paper provides a contribution to the debate about opinion formation in foreign policy. On the one hand, the Swiss experience contradicts the widespread view that citizens are poorly informed about and little interested in foreign affairs. On the other hand, direct democracy often translates into governmental defeats in this field. We address these mixed results and show that opinion formation in foreign policy is not a special case, and differs from that in domestic policy only with respect to the circumstances under which it occurs. In particular, we highlight the unusual type and level of conflict within the elite on foreign policy issues, which translates into distinct patterns of attitudes among the public.     

The malleable homo sovieticus: transnational entrepreneurs in post-communist East Central Europe

This paper investigates the coping strategies of post-1989 East Central European transnational migrant entrepreneurs. Paradoxically, rather than facilitating transfer into the region of liberal-democratic orientations and practices, the incorporation of East Central Europe into late 20th-century consumer capitalism based on short-cycle flexible production in sectors unregulated by legal-institutional frameworks reproduces some of the features of the accustomed homo sovieticus syndrome: in particular, the reliance on the beat-the-system/bend-the-rules orientation on informal/crony patronage and connections, and immediate consumption rather than deferred gratification/investment-oriented capital accumulation renders effective strategies of economic action in the new situation. The effects of so-informed transnational migrant entrepreneurs' activities on the transformation processes in their home-countries are also discussed.     

党内民主与中国共产党理论创新的有效实现

党内民主是不仅是促进党的理论创新及其有效实现的根本前提,也内在地奠定了中国共产党理论创新的实现机制。在新的历史条件下要进一步发挥党内民主对党的理论创新的积极作用,就必须坚持以先进的理论指导党内民主建设,以完善的制度保障党内民主建设,以科学的方法推进党内民主建设。     

发展社会主义民主政治建设社会主义政治文明

发展社会主义民主政治,建设社会主义政治文明,是全面建设小康社会的重要目标.我们党历来以实现和发展人民民主为己任.改革开放以来,我们坚定不移地推进政治体制改革,有力地促进了社会主义民主政治建设.发展社会主义民主政治,最根本的是要把坚持党的领导、人民当家作主和依法治国有机统一起来.建设社会主义政治文明,要坚持社会主义物质文明、政治文明、精神文明相互促进、协调发展,为实现全面建议小康社会的宏伟目标营造良好的政治局面.     

浅议邓小平的民主法治思想与人本发展观

崇尚法治,反对人治是邓小平法治思想的基础和核心,民主法治思想与人本发展观的完善是邓小平理论的结晶,它的立法、执法、守法等基本思路对维护社会主义市场经济的新秩序,具有广泛深远的意义。     

The Politics of Universalisation: Establishing National Health Services in Southern Europe

Italy, Portugal, Greece and Spain have enacted reform laws during the last 20 years with the intention of turning their health insurance systems into national health services. Universalisation of access to public health care was at the centre of the political debates which led to the passing of the reform laws. This article analyses the policy-making processes that allowed for such institutional change, as well as achievements and shortcomings of the implementation processes that followed. The analysis draws on the insights of the actor-centred neo-institutionalist approach in the policy sciences.     

协商民主理论视野下和谐民族关系的构建

独具中国特色的协商民主制度为我国构建和谐民族关系奠定了基础。协商民主能够在实现各民族有序参与自治权利、利益平衡、增强政治认同方面,在促进各民族文化共存、包容差异、处理民族宗教事务方面发挥重要作用。构建和谐的民族关系,应注重发挥政协和基层的协商民主作用,注重发挥网络协商平台的作用。     

中国共产党党内民主建设的历史回顾与前景展望

中国共产党自成立之日起就把党内民主建设作为自身建设的重大历史课题,经过90年的艰辛探索与实践,取得了显著成果,积累了丰富经验,也有着深刻教训。新的历史条件下,总结党内民主建设的经验教训,丰富发展党内民主理论,既是提高党建科学化水平的必然要求,也是发展党内民主的实践需要。     

强化权力制约，实施全程监督

要有效地监督和制约权力,必须努力实现权力公开透明运作;必须充分发扬党内民主,强化权力监督;必须完善权力监督体制和机制.     

司法价值视阈下的审判公开

司法价值关乎具体的司法动向和司法目标的实现。在深化司法体制改革过程中,确立了司法公正、司法效率、司法民主的价值取向。审判公开在促进司法公正,提高司法效率,保障司法民主方面,彰显了司法价值。