What voters want from their parties: Testing the promise-keeping assumption

How should party governments make representative democracy? Much of the democracy representation literature assumes that voters prefer parties to fulfill the promises of their election campaigns, with higher preference for promise-keeping placed on the party a voter supports. That voters agree with these assumptions, however, remains largely unclear and this is the main hypothesis of this article. Within the context of Australia, this article investigates voter preferences regarding three ideal party representative styles: promise-keeping, focus on public opinion, and seeking the common good. Furthermore, it tests whether voters prefer their party – over other parties – to keep their promises. Based on novel and innovative survey data, this study finds that, generally, voters care least about parties keeping their promises and their preferences are unaffected by their party support. These results, if confirmed in other contexts, not only challenge the primacy of promise-keeping, but also the assumed ubiquitous party effect.     

Why do “teeth” need “voice”? The case of anti‐corruption agencies in three Australian states

Interactions between horizontal accountability agencies (e.g., anti‐corruption agencies [ACAs]) and social accountability actors (e.g., journalists, civil society activists, and complainants/whistleblowers) are recognized as important to horizontal agencies’ performance, but the reason(s) is not clear. This study therefore explores why horizontal accountability agencies need social accountability actors in performing their functions. The study analyses data from 30 key stakeholders in Australia, including ACAs staff members, social accountability actors, and other observers to report on the specific support roles social actors play to ACAs’ activities and operations. Through the conceptual lens of social accountability, evidence show that social actors play four key types of support roles to ACAs’ activities and operations: activate ACAs’ investigations; “amplify” ACAs’ operations; guard ACAs’ activities and operations; and defend ACAs’ independence and powers. These findings support the need for interactions and, also, affirm the potential for research into how these support roles can better be provided for effective anti‐corruption outcomes. The research is of value to public accountability agencies in Australia, and internationally.     

海警重大安保行动保障问题研究

随着海警遂行海上重大安保任务的增加,对安保行动保障勤务的要求越来越高。现今,海警对重大安保行动保障的研究还处于起步阶段。研究海警重大安保行动保障勤务的意义和特点,分析重大安保行动保障勤务存在的问题,提出相应解决的对策,具有十分重要的意义。     

金融支持战略性新兴产业发展的现状及途径探索

金融作为现代经济发展的核心,在战略性新兴产业的培育、发展与升级过程中起着基础性的核心支持作用。发达的金融体系和良好的金融环境是战略性新兴产业快速成长的重要保障。该文认为,大力发展战略性新兴产业,必须有效破解融资困境,实现战略性新兴产业与金融发展的良性互动,并建立和完善战略性新兴产业发展的金融支持体系,加快战略性新兴产业与金融融合的步伐,施行必要的金融支持政策。     

构建农村社区居家养老模式的法律思考——以海南为例

随着我国人口老年化的加剧,作为人口占多数的农村养老问题也受到更多的关注。由于家庭结构变化,中国家庭4-2-1模式的普遍存在,传统家庭养老面临巨大挑战,新型的农村社区居家养老应运而生。但由于法律建设的不健全,农村社区养老在实践中面临困境。要解决这一问题,就要基于法律的思维,构建完善的农村社区居家养老模式。     

日本中小企业法治建设的特点及其借鉴

二战结束以后 ,日本十分重视中小企业的发展 ,从制度环境、金融财政、社会化服务体系等方面给予了大力支持 ,使其迅速发展。本文针对我国中小企业立法大大滞后于中小企业发展的实际情况 ,借鉴日本立法的经验 ,提出完善我国中小企业立法的建议。     

促进企业技术创新的政策支持研究

企业技术创新能力是区域经济可持续快速发展的重要决定因素,实践证明:政府的宏观政策是促进企业技术创新的有效手段。政府可采用的政策手段包括财税政策、政府采购、信息服务、产学研合作、人才开发、法律法规等。     

正确认识党的阶级基础和群众基础

增强党的阶级基础和扩大党的群众基础 ,必须澄清人们在这个问题上的思想疑虑 ,如正确认识党的阶级基础和群众基础 ,明确工人阶级作为党的阶级基础的地位没有改变 ;扩大党的群众基础不是把党变成“全民党” ,也不是向社会民主党演变 ;新的社会阶层也是党的群众基础     

试论内部行政处分行为的可诉性

《行政诉讼法》的受案范围长期以来颇有争议,内部行政处分行为的可诉性是其争论的焦点之一。从目前我国内部行政处分行为不可诉的现状来看,应给予内部行政处分行为的相对人以司法救济的途径,并将内部行政处分行为纳入行政诉讼范围,接受司法审查。     

EXPENDITURES ON CHILDREN AND VISITATION TIME

In their critique, Garfinkel, McLanahan, and Wallerstein raise concerns about the representativeness of the authors' sample, benchmark approach methodology, and historical review of guidelines, all of which lead them to discount the evidence presented opposing the cliff-model assumption of father expenditures on children, and to laud instead child support guidelines that give little monetary credit or adjustment for visitation. This article presents evidence that (a) this sample is at most little biased, and remains trustworthy for the main implications presented; (b) although only a beginning, the benchmark approach is highly useful and most of the concerns raised about it are ill founded or implausible; and (c) the historical review suggesting that current guidelines assume zero visitation expenses is indeed accurate for the vast majority of states, according to the foremost authority. Thus, notwithstanding the critique, these findings have merit and importance and should be considered by policy makers. The authors also comment on the additional arguments against continuous and generous adjustments for visitation, finding them based on a weak foundation of evidence and reasoning.