How not to think of land-grabbing: three critiques of large-scale investments in farmland

Large-scale investments in farmland have been criticized, chiefly, because of questions about the capacity of the countries targeted by these land deals to effectively manage these investments in order to ensure that they contribute to rural development and poverty alleviation. This article questions the idea that this is the only or even the main problem raised by such investments. If weak governance were the only problem, then appropriate regulation—and incentives to manage such investments correctly—would indeed be a solution. However the real concern behind the development of large-scale investments in farmland is that giving land away to investors, having better access to capital to ‘develop’, implies huge opportunity costs, as it will result in a type of farming that will have much less powerful poverty-reducing impacts, than if access to land and water were improved for the local farming communities; that it directs agriculture towards crops for export markets, increasing the vulnerability to price shocks of the target countries; and that even where titling schemes seek to protect land users from eviction, it accelerates the development of a market for land rights with potentially destructive effects on the livelihoods, both of the current land users that will face increased commercial pressure on land, and of groups depending on the commons—grazing and fishing grounds, and forests. The article maps these various levels of critiques. It concludes that we need to do more than impose a discipline on land-grabbing: we need a real alternative to this kind of investment in land.     

中韩对朝经济合作探析

中国是朝鲜传统友好国家,长期以来经贸关系密切。韩国作为朝鲜"同民族兄弟"国家,近年来,对朝经济交流与合作日益增加,甚至出现了超过中国、成为朝鲜第一大贸易伙伴的趋势。中朝、韩朝双边经贸交流各有特点,并对朝鲜恢复经济建设发挥着重要作用,同时也因朝鲜半岛政治经济环境因素的影响而存在着一定的局限性。为克服这些局限性,中、韩、朝可以在物流、基础设施、直接投资及大图们江开发等领域加强三方共同合作,消除朝鲜的安全顾虑,帮助朝鲜融入国际社会,促进东北亚区域经济合作,实现"共赢"的目标。     

Foreign direct investment and the risk of regime transition in autocracies

Economic globalization and, in particular, foreign direct investment (FDI) have often been considered to be catalysts for economic reform and political liberalization. It is argued that openness to foreign investment spurs democratization by empowering pro-liberalization actors and undermining elite cohesion. This article explores and tests three alternative hypotheses linking FDI and autocratic regime survival. The liberalization hypothesis claims that FDI promotes democratization. The state-capture hypothesis suggests that FDI, by increasing the value of power, may raise the risk of an autocratic transition. Lastly, the stabilization hypothesis, contrary to the first two, claims that FDI can enhance dictatorships’ stability by opening new opportunities for distributing benefits to regime elites. The empirical analysis, covering about 100 countries for the time period 1970–2008, uses data on autocratic breakdowns and transition types to test the above hypotheses. The reported evidence does not support the liberalization or the state-capture hypothesis. FDI is found to reduce the likelihood of democratic transitions.     

‘It’s not just the economy,stupid’. The multi-directional security effects of the private sector in post-conflict reconstruction

Using a human security lens, this article explores the interface between transnational corporations (TNCs) and post-conflict, post-crisis societies. It demonstrates how TNCs influence political and economic transition, through impacting the everyday experience of security, creating multiple and ambiguous effects on individuals and communities. Examples of two foreign corporate engagements: carmaker Fiat’s investment in Serbia and steelmaker ArcelorMittal’s takeover in Zenica in Bosnia-Herzegovina are used to illustrate the density of relationships between global companies, host governments, civil society and local communities whose effects extend beyond economics to broader aspects of the conflict space, and have a bearing on the transition and reconstruction agenda. Our findings question the quality of development and industrialisation policies championed by post-conflict reconstruction approaches, and challenge the assumption that economic growth and investment, by foreign companies in particular, will necessarily deliver peaceful transition. The article contributes to the scholarly debate about the connection between security and development, and to policy discussions about appropriate means for reviving economies within externally led peace-building and conflict prevention initiatives.     

中国企业对俄直接投资的风险及其防范

尽管目前俄罗斯整体投资环境已经明显改善,但由于法律法规尚不健全、金融体系脆弱、税法繁杂、官员腐败、两国文化差异较大等原因,中国企业对俄投资仍面临较大的国家风险、经济风险、法律风险、社会风险以及文化风险。因此,企业对俄投资一定要提高风险防范意识,做好可行性研究工作,并在企业内部形成统一的风险管理语言,准确把握企业经营中的各种不确定性,并采取恰当的方法转移、降低或规避风险。     

Impact of trade and investment on income surge in Bangladesh: Evidence from trade liberalization regime

Trade and investment are crucial drivers of economic growth. Successful execution of trade and investment policy can elevate a developing country to a sustained growth path and make it self-reliant. Bangladesh implemented a trade liberalization policy in the 1980s, deviating much from its conservative trade policy. This article assesses the impacts of trade, investment in physical as well as human capital, and a few trade policy variables on income surge for the liberalized regime. The econometric analysis finds that export, import, and domestic investment stimulate income. The impact of foreign investment is not conducive. Public spending on education also contributes to the income surge. Among the policy variables, trade openness and currency depreciation produce a beneficial impact. Population growth retards economic growth. The baseline results hold in the estimations involving several specifications of variables and testified as robust. The article views that a comprehensive approach to trade and investment policy would ensure the comparative advantage of trade and the well-being of Bangladesh.     

俄远东与中、日、韩三国经贸合作前景分析

俄远东地区经济的发展对全俄经济回升起着至关重要的作用,然而目前俄远东地区的经济发展落后,经济结构有待转型,人口流失,存在很多问题。并且远东与俄欧洲部分相距遥远,在很多问题上俄心有余而力不足。但如果从另一个角度思考,远东的优势是与东北亚地区国家毗邻。东北亚地区是近年来世界上经济发展最具活力的地区之一,加强与东北亚国家,特别是与中国、日本、韩国的合作,有利于远东经济的飞速发展,俄政府也逐渐意识到这一问题,积极促进远东与东北亚国家的经贸合作。     

安徽省贸易投资一体化实证分析

80年代以来,安徽省国际贸易和利用外商直接投资（FDI）迅猛发展。该文利用协整检验（Co-integra-tionTest）和格兰杰因果关系检验的方法,运用安徽省1985-2008年数据检验了国际贸易与FDI之间的长期相互关系。实证结果表明：安徽省国际国际贸易与FDI之间的关系是贸易投资一体化。在此基础上,提出安徽省应该注重国际贸易投资政策的协同关系。     

中国海外投资与韩中产业合作新发展的探讨

近几年,随着中国经济的迅猛发展,中国企业逐渐发展为海外直接投资者,这将对世界经济的发展产生很大的影响。中国企业的全球化也将会进一步加速韩国国内产业结构的变化。中国企业与韩国企业不仅在世界市场上是竞争对手关系,在进入中国国内市场以及开拓海外资源等方面还可以成为战略伙伴关系。     

韩国对中国投资的现状及展望

韩中两国建交14年来在很多领域都取得了举世瞩目的发展和变化。初期,韩国对中国投资侧重于劳动密集型的中小型出口加工项目。进入成熟发展期后,韩国有必要在投资项目规模、投资战略,投资区域、投资结构等方面进行调整。今后中韩的经济交流会有相当大的转变。