Politics and the Price of Rice in Thailand: Public Choice,Institutional Change and Rural Subsidies

Despite the Thai state’s long record of rice market interventions, historically politicians failed to leverage rice subsidies in their pursuit of political support, notwithstanding the large number of farmers in the country. Since Thaksin Shinawatra’s election in 2001, though, each government has subsidised rice producers, although at varying degrees. What explains this change? This article traces the four-decade history of rice price support programmes. It is proposed that these policies be interpreted through the dual lens of institutionalism and public choice theory, demonstrating how political institutions have shaped incentives for politicians to cater to different constituencies. During the pre-1980 period, under authoritarian regimes, Thai leaders applied rice price policies to benefit urban consumers and the government. From 1979 through 2000, following implementation of the block-vote system, rice interventions were used to appeal to voting intermediaries like rice millers, as bargaining chips among competing parties and as stopgap measures to diffuse farmer protests. Since 2001, responding to the electoral system created by the 1997 constitution, politicians have appealed directly to the voting public, seeking broad-based support via subsidies. The analysis highlights the impact that shifting institutional incentives have on politicians’ actions and thus the emergent policies.     

论打击传销的长效机制的建立

近来，以往被多次打击的传销又开始抬头，并有大肆蔓延之势。公安部门投入了巨大的力量，但成效短暂。传销屡禁不绝有其比较深刻的社会原因、经济原因、法律原因等。为此，建立打击传销的长效机制必须做到：加快立法进程，完善立法；理顺公安、工商的协作关系；健全机构；广泛宣传；进行反“洗脑”工作；加强情报信息工作；促进“无传销社区的建设”；严格监管直销企业。     

网络传销犯罪侦查模式研究

网络传销犯罪作为传统传销犯罪的"升级",具有涉众广泛、传播迅速、高度智能和高度隐蔽等特点,相比于传统传销犯罪,网络传销犯罪的社会危害更大,侦办难度也更大。目前,在网络传销犯罪的侦办方面,传统的侦查模式存在着侦查介入过于被动、侦查协作机制不全、侦查取证手段落后和侦查公开把握不好等诸多问题。为有效打击和控制网络传销犯罪,须对传统的侦查模式予以改革,在侦查立案方面,变消极被动为积极主动;在侦查协作方面,变"单兵作战"为协同作战;在侦查取证方面,变侦技分离为侦技合一;在侦查公开方面,正确处理侦查秘密与侦查公开之间的关系。     

垃圾卫生填埋与北京市垃圾处理构想

城市用卫生填埋方式处理生活垃圾是适宜的。文章介绍北京市垃圾处理状况 ,分析了目前卫生填埋处理垃圾建设经验及存在的一些问题 ,并提出了在北京建设超大规模垃圾卫生填埋场的构想     

网络传销的特征及侦查对策研究

网络传销迅速地蔓延,严重威胁着我国社会主义市场经济秩序的稳定发展和人民群众的生命财产安全。与传统的传销模式相比,网络传销具有新的特点：传销标的虚拟化;组织策划隐蔽化;管理运作远程化;传销活动高效化;危害结果社会化。侦查机关应根据网络传销的特点,通过情报信息主导侦查,加强电子证据的收集,摸清规律,找准突破口等措施,达到打击网络传销的目的。     

浅议基金式传销犯罪案件的侦查方法

基金式传销犯罪案件因其复杂性、隐蔽性和虚拟性特点，对社会危害极大。此类案件的侦查要抓住以下几个关键环节：扩大线索来源，深挖案件；积极初查，把握时机、适时行动；控制涉案人员；控制涉案资金；搜集、提取、固定和使用证据，尤其是要加强对电子证据的收集和运用；联合其他行政执法部门共同执法，合力打击。     

我国海外投资保险制度法律关系主体的思考

本文从解析海外投资保险机构设置的立法体例入手,论述了我国海外投资保险机构的设置问题。认为我国应采取“德国式”的立法模式,即海外投资保险审批机构与执行业务机构相分离的立法模式。并对中国人民保险公司是否可作为我国海外投资保险业务的承保机构以及我国自然人及私营企业是否可成为合格投资者进行了论述。     

Pyramid Structure,Political Connection and Over-investment:Based on the Empirical Study of the Private Listed Companies

Based of the observations of A-share private enterprises listed in Shanghai and Shenzhen Stock Exchanges from 2007 to 2013, this paper investigates the impact and the transmission mechanism of political connections on the over-investment. In addition, this paper analyzes the positive role of pyramid structure in the setting of economic transformation, as an alternative mechanism of market. The results show that: over-investment do exist in private enterprises with political connections. The more political connections exist, the more serious the problem of over-investment becomes. But the pyramid structure can play a role of legal protection and reduce the government intervention, so that it can effectively restrict over-investment. This paper has some implications for correctly handling the relation of enterprise and government in the new era.     

Techniques in Innovative Policy Making: Example of National Rural Employment Guarantee Act in India

The problem of social ills such as unemployment, poverty, and accelerating pace of rural-urban migration is not only enormous in magnitude, but also complex by nature in developing countries. This article introduces an innovative regulatory approach that addresses the complexity and scale of such problems. An analytical and decision-making model is presented. This model prescribes reflecting on two or more problems simultaneously. Such an approach is expected to create a fresh opportunity for policy makers and scholars in solving problem scenarios, bringing their vantage point to bear on pressing social matters. The model presented in this article is applied to analyze the NREGA or National Rural Employment Guarantee Act, 2005 in India. This Act represents a novel approach to policy-making and demonstrates the positive role governments can play in labor markets. The design, implementation, and promising initial results clearly challenge existing wisdom on how to make effective policy decisions. The framework presented in the article best explains various facets of this remarkable policy and shows how governments can intervene in the labor markets and correct for imperfections. Pioneering future applications to other social and economic challenges are suggested. Also, implications for research and policy are provided.     

原因自由行为探析

本文围绕着原因自由行为之法理的历史发展、体系位置、适用范围、与“同在原则”及完全昏醉罪的关系等问题进行了论述。就我国而言,最优的解决方案就是在刑法总则中设置关于原因自由行为的提示性条款,在分则危害公共安全罪一章中设置完全昏醉罪的条款。