Is Britain Facing a Crisis of Democracy?

This article contributes to the debate in this journal about the state of British democracy. I criticise the tendency to use a ‘demand–supply’ dichotomy in interpreting the strong distrust experienced by institutions and politicians, and especially the idea that all the blame for current problems is to be attributed to the inadequateness of the British political tradition (BPT). By referring to international data on democracy and to recent British trends in both public attitudes and institutional innovations, a more nuanced picture on the state of democracy emerges. I argue that the BPT is not incompatible with incremental changes that have already introduced innovations in the way politics works in Britain today, and that the task of empowering citizens is one of the most delicate aspects in this process of innovation.     

Iron Houses in the Tropical Heat: Decentralization Reforms in Africa and their Consequences

Abstract

Decentralization reforms introduced to Africa have not always delivered the intended outcomes. Through interaction with the broader historical, political, social and economic context, reforms seem to have engendered political consequences beyond decentralization itself. Most of the literature on decentralization and development emphasizes questions of institutional design and policy, but here we expand the focus of analysis and incorporate the harder-to-pin-down political patterns marking the workings of decentralization in Africa. Through the case-studies of Ghana, Senegal, Zimbabwe, Namibia, Ethiopia and Uganda we seek to connect the debates on development with the scholarly literatures on comparative federalism, comparative decentralization and local democracy. The conclusion that emerges is that no magic formula which can turn countries into peaceful, stable and prosperous democracies overnight exists. And, importing formal institutions without regard to the local historical, political, social and economic context risks leaving us with elegant but dysfunctional iron houses in the tropical heat.     

Mapping out the institutional geography of external security in the EU

The growth of European Union (EU) competences in the field of external security in the last decade has produced a substantial increase in the number of EU institutions and bureaucratic actors engaged in the planning and management of these policies. Moreover, the expansion of competences in such a sovereign sensitive area comes up against the persistent intergovernmental nature of the security sector. This has resulted, on the one hand, in a complex institutional architecture with heavy demands in terms of coordination, and on the other hand, in a stark differentiation and stratification of the legal regimes with a potential to impact on policy outcomes. This state of uncertainty is particularly relevant when looking at relations with countries bordering the Union, as the long-standing web of interactions there has developed a more complex institutional environment. While most of the scholarly literature focuses on single institutional sectors or policies (Common Security and Defence Policy, European Neighbourhood Policy, or the external side of the Area of Freedom, Security and Justice), this study seeks to address the issue with a comprehensive analysis of the institutional framework that has emerged in the last decade, more notably, since the entry into force of the Treaty of Lisbon. The article provides, first, an overview of the EU’s institutional actors responsible for security policies in the regions bordering the EU, and second, an examination of the different mechanisms established to address the coordination issue. Finally, this study will argue that the traditional military dimension is but one, and certainly not the most developed, of the security instruments employed by the EU. At another level, it will be argued that the shift of focus from the military to other security tools has altered the institutional balance in the security sector, substantially adding to the relative influential weight of the Commission.     

朱元璋的制度反腐及其教训

鉴于元朝灭亡的教训,朱元璋力图从制度上预防与惩治贪污腐败。他制定低俸禄与低办公经费制度强迫官员保持节俭的作风,以严酷的法律惩治贪污腐败,并建立了一个完善的监察系统搜集官员腐败的证据。朱元璋的制度建设虽然对遏制贪污腐败起到了一定震慑作用,但即使是在朱元璋时代,贪污行为也屡发不绝。朱元璋过世后,低俸禄与低办公经费成为官员贪腐的正当理由,严酷的反贪法律的执行因为完全取决于皇帝的态度实际上也逐渐废止了,监察制度也变成了党争的工具。尽管如此,朱元璋的制度反腐仍然为今天的廉政建设提供了可资借鉴的经验与教训:反腐教育应当常抓不懈,反腐应摆脱依赖个人意志的法律,注意保持官员的适当工资水平。     

规范政府行为的一部重要法律——为《中华人民共和国行政许可法》正式施行而作

今年7月1日正式施行的《行政许可法》是规范政府行为的一部重要法律。以法律规范政府行为,是由政府权力的特点决定的,是我国完善社会主义市场经济体制的客观要求。《行政许可法》的正式施行,是我国政府改革进程的重要里程碑。《行政许可法》确立了新的价值取向,同时也充分体现法律至上的原则和制度创新。施行《行政许可法》要充分估计到困难和阻力,要针对可能出现的问题努力做好工作。     

加强教育培训提 高民警素质建设一支适应公安本科教育的干部教师队伍——对促进云南警官学院干部教师素质提升的思考

建设公安本科学院,实施公安本科教育,干部教师队伍建设是根本,也是保证。必须要以邓小平理论和“三个代表”重要思想为指导,努力建设一支高素质的公安本科教育的干部教师队伍。通过多种措施,全面开展教育培训,促进干部教师整体素质的提升,切实使干部教师的整体素质与公安本科教育的要求与时俱进,这是加强队伍建设的重要途径,是学院正规化建设和快速发展的迫切需要。要以科学发展观、人才战略观和正确政绩观,认真抓好干部教师的教育培训工作。     

关于精英决策的制度分析

精英决策的模式是民主政治欠发达的国家广泛存在的一种政府决策模式 ,其形成是有集体行动的逻辑和根源的。从制度经济学的角度来看 ,精英决策的模式缺乏制度效率。中国政府的精英决策模式向民主决策的转变 ,需要在克服集体行动“失灵”和遵循制度效率标准的基础上 ,做出一系列的制度安排     

经济全球化与中国政府治理变革

随着经济全球化的迅猛发展,治理和善治问题已经成为摆在中国政府面前的重大现实课题。当代中国政府治理变革的基本目标在于:推进有限政府、法治政府、分权政府和民主政府的制度建设,这四个要素乃是构成政府善治的最重要的制度平台。推动政府治理变革的主要动力来自于:开明政治家的改革取向、市场经济的内在要求、知识分子的理论力量、国际制度的制约力量以及全球竞争的外在压力。     

以制度建设为重点加强党的执政能力建设

以制度建设为重点加强党的执政能力建设,是我们党总结历史经验、吸取历史教训的成果,是新时期党建工作的与时俱进,是历史的选择和时代的要求。新的世纪,我们要以制度建设为重点,改革和完善党的领导体制和工作机制,进一步提高党的执政能力和执政水平。     

略论民国时期河南地方的监狱建设

民国时期的监狱建设在继承了清末监狱改良的成果的基础上,得到了进一步的发展。这一时期也是河南近代监狱制度确立和发展的实质性阶段,其机构设置和制度运行在北洋政府和南京国民政府阶段既表现出相当的承继性,又各自具有不同的时代特点。