The transition from limited access orders to open access orders in the post-communist Europe

This paper attempts to explain the process of institutional transition of post-communist countries applying conceptual framework proposed by D.C. North, J. J. Wallis, and B. R. Weingast. The first part of the article is devoted to outline the theory of North, Weingast, and Wallis. The second part the theory is used to analyze transformation processes in post-communist countries. An important conclusion of this paper is that cultural, religious and historical factors have crucial impact on formation of new coalitions of elites in the transitions countries. In the countries where Western values were present the transfer of the market and democratic formal institutions was easier. Also, the process of transformation was strongly influenced by external factors, especially the prospect of integration with the European Union, which encouraged elites to take action that benefited the opening of both political and economic markets. These observations suggest that, in general, the success of transformation in transition countries did not depend on the intentional actions of ruling elites.     

An oasis of democracy in an authoritarian sea? Civil society,social, and institutional trust in Georgia

We examine whether the existence of civil society in Georgia has promoted social and institutional trust in the population. As much of the literature suggests, Georgia is different from its neighbors in that civil society development is more advanced. Does participation in civil society lead to more social and institutional trust? Using survey data from the Caucasus Barometer and the World Values Survey, we find that attitudes regarding social and institutional trust are more developed in Georgia than in its neighbors, and that activity in voluntary organizations is positively associated with social and institutional trust in Georgia.     

Seal the Deal: Bargaining Positions,Institutional Design,and the Duration of Preferential Trade Negotiations

Multilateral negotiations at the World Trade Organization have stalled. This has contributed to a steep rise in preferential trade agreements (PTAs). At the same time, negotiations for PTAs have not always proven quick and painless: While some treaties are sealed within a few months or days only, other agreements are preceded by protracted bargaining processes in trade and trade-related issue areas. In this article, we provide a theoretical explanation for this empirical variation. More specifically, we argue that PTA negotiations take longer the greater the distance between the prospective partners’ initial bargaining positions. Moreover, we contend that negotiation processes become more protracted the higher the relative ambition of the prospective PTA. Due to the limited links to the domestic political arena in autocracies, we expect this latter effect to play out for groups of democratic bargaining partners only. We test these two hypotheses for 198 preferential trade negotiations using novel measures for bargaining templates and the ambition of PTA clauses. In our two-stage survival models, we find support for our argument. In line with qualitative evidence from recent preferential trade initiatives, our models indicate that services, investment and intellectual property rights are particularly sticky agenda items for democratic leaders at the international bargaining table.     

当代中国政策议程创建模式嬗变分析

政策议程的研究在当前学术界引起了越来越多的关注,但是已有的研究成果表明,这些理论范式较多地从即时的视阈对政策议程的创建过程进行解释,而缺少历时向度的考察与对比研究,因而只能对某一具体的社会问题如何进入政策议程进行个案式的说明,而不能归纳和概括一个特定时期政策议程创建活动的总体特征和一般规律,当然也就难以从宏观层面对不同时期的议程建构模式进行纵向比较分析。因此,推进研究的深入发展亟需将个案式的解释模型上升为一般化的分析框架,通过对不同历史时期的创建活动进行动态化的梳理和比较,实现由单一向度的分析视角向"立体化"、多维度的研究方向转变。基于这一思考,以探究政策议程创建活动的"情境转换"与"过程变迁"及其内在联系为主旨,以政策议程创建模式为分析单元,提出了体制-过程模型,并以此为工具,以改革开放以来不同历史阶段的政策议程创建活动为考察对象,通过对三种政策议程创建模式的特征、过程及其背景的比较分析,力图在探究我国三十年间政策议程创建模式演进的一般规律的基础上对体制-过程模型的应用进行说明和验证。     

制度匮乏下亚欧合作的选择:议题、形式和方向

亚欧会议的制度匮乏源于成员中缺少强势主导国及其创设的国际机制。当前亚欧合作面临三大主要矛盾,即共同威胁上升、力量对比改变和新成员的加入。亚欧对跨区域合作的需求增加,同时合作的难度也在增大。亚欧合作需要在更新议题、调整合作的方式和方向等方面不懈探索以保持活力。为在制度短缺的前提下实现有效合作,亚欧仍适合遵循以开放和自愿为基础的弱机制模式,并需要依靠亚欧双方主导性力量加强多边协调,以务实的态度优先在低政治领域开展合作。     

不起诉决定权限制的制度逻辑与改良

我国检察机关行使的不起诉决定权受到检察系统的内部限制和外部监督机构的限制,该限制符合检察机关司法角色、规范设置、制度管理方面的逻辑要求。在我国刑事司法已经呈现出向＂精密司法＂方面发展的趋势时,为了保护人权,分流刑事案件,应当扩张不起诉决定权的行使。为了保障不起诉决定权的正当行使,应当在不起诉决定程序的制度化、公开化、公平化方面进行改良。     

地方政府竞争中的制度创新及异化分析

我国地方政府在政府竞争的压力之下,起着政治企业家的作用,进行了诸如产权制度变革、行政审批制度改革以及地方公共物品供给制度改革等制度创新行为。但行政性分权的非制度性和非稳定性,法律约束机制的缺失以及中央政府宏观调控式微等制度安排中的缺陷导致了地方政府制度创新中的悖论,地方政府在政府竞争中以曲解规则、补充文件等异化的制度创新行为和方式来理解和贯彻国家的法律法规和上级要求实施的制度规则,以求满足自身利益的最大化。     

天津经济振兴及对未来中国经济发展的影响

随着天津滨海新区纳入国家区域发展战略,天津经济振兴及其对未来中国经济发展的影响成为人们日益关注的话题。从中国近代工业的发展历史进程看,以天津和上海为龙头的“双峰经济”是对中国一百多年经济发展的恰当概括。向“双峰经济”北部峰顶的回归是历史赋予天津经济的使命。而从天津经济发展的现实看,制造业的“二元结构”特征暴露出天津经济发展中制度创新不足等约束因素。因而,制度创新、生产组织方式创新和自主创新是天津经济振兴进而带动中国北方经济发展的根本途径。     

行政审批制度改革的体制制约与制度创新

行政审批制度产生的诸多问题与我国传统行政执行体制延续下来的政府管理的一些理念、职能设置、行政方式和执行方法等有着必然的联系。行政审批制度的改革必须涉及到现行行政体制如何从传统的准动员型模式向民主法治型模式转变这一深层问题。文章首先提出我国行政审批制度改革中尚有待深入研究的一些理论问题 ;其次对审批制度改革面临的困难和体制性制约进行分析 ;然后就如何从根本上实现由传统行政执行体制模式向民主化、法治化行政执行体制模式转变的问题提出建议。     

近年来关于我国民主政治发展的路径依赖问题研究综述

近年来，围绕我国民主政治发展的路径依赖问题，学者们从民主政治建设的马克思主义当代中国化角度、政治制度变迁角度、行政体制改革角度、党内民主发展及监督制度角度、政治参与等不同的视角进行了较为广泛的理论探讨。在此基础上，从制度变迁的路径依赖原理的解读和阐述，对于我国政治发展的路径依赖特征及其性质的认识，我国民主政治发展的路径依赖的具体表现，我国民主政治发展的路径依赖的对策选择及我国民主政治发展的路径依赖启示等方面对以往的研究做一梳理，便于今后进一步的深入研究。