The five shades of grey: party systems and authoritarian institutions in post-Soviet Central Asian states

ABSTRACT

This article overviews and seeks to explain the processes of party system formation in the post-Soviet Central Asian states (Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan) by focusing on a crucial party-system property, fragmentation. The analysis reveals that to a much greater extent than in democracies, where party systems are largely shaped by societal factors, the level of party system fragmentation in autocracies is determined by the scope of presidential powers, as entrenched in the formal institutional order and reflected in the national constitution. The level of authoritarianism is largely inconsequential for party system fragmentation, while the role of electoral rules is secondary. Institutionally weak and institutionally strong autocratic presidents have a preference for fragmented party systems, while presidents with an intermediate range of powers seek and obtain low levels of party system fragmentation.     

The rise of illiberal politics in Southeast Europe

ABSTRACT

Democracy is backsliding throughout Southeast Europe but there are no signs of full democratic breakdown. Instead, political parties and their leaders incrementally undermine challenges to governmental authority while keeping electoral contest largely intact. This article introduces a special issue that aims to examine and explain democratic decline by looking at the prevalence of illiberal politics across countries and issues. In order to overcome the limitations of fixed regime classification we adopt a procedural lens and look into governing practices that gradually tilt the electoral playing field. Utilizing the concept of Illiberal politics allows us to examine sets of policies enacted by political parties in government with the aim to remain in power indefinitely. By tracing democratic decline in Serbia, North Macedonia, Montenegro, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Kosovo, Albania, and Croatia we observe different patterns of weakness, but also common causes arising from weak institutions and inherited governance practices that preserve executive dominance, patronage, and informality.     

Commonwealth Small States,Education and Environmental Uncertainty: Learning from the Sharp End

ABSTRACT

This paper examines the Commonwealth’s inclusive role in engaging with the distinctive challenges of education provision in small states, an agenda that is often neglected elsewhere. We examine the origins of Commonwealth work on education in small states, the nature of its comparative advantage, its role in facilitating small states’ engagement with international education dialogue and regional co-operation, and the demand and potential for ongoing Commonwealth support for education. Particular attention is given to experience within the Caribbean region and to the potential for the Commonwealth and the wider international community to learn from small states in the light of their distinctive educational challenges, achievements and priorities – and, most notably, their experience at the ‘sharp end’ of environmental uncertainty and climate change.     

“直接适用的法”与合同准据法的确定

“直接适用的法”是指无须援引法院地冲突规则而必须直接适用于某种涉外民商事关系的强制性法律规范。它在涉外合同准据法的确定中的地位有不同观点 ,本文对此进行了探讨 ,并分析了“直接适用的法”与具体的涉外合同法律适用原则的关系 ,认为“直接适用的法”在适用于涉外合同关系时只应作为对一般冲突规范的限制 ,而不是确定合同准据法的首要原则。     

转型变革:西欧社会党新形势下的新选择──对奥地利社会党下野的个案分析

世纪之交西欧社会民主党经过转型变革后走出危机焕发生机,活跃于西方政坛。在这种“神奇回归”现象当中,个别的则恰恰与之相反。本文试图通过对奥地利社会党下野原因的个案分析与西欧社会党及其社会民主主义新变化新特点的论证,探讨其兴衰成败的规律。     

当事人更换理论浅论

当事人理论是民事诉讼的三大理论基石之一。在当事人制度的诸多问题当中,非正当当事人及其更换理论在诉讼法学理论界是一个颇有争论的问题。本文从介绍非正当当事人及其更换理论入手,分析我国非正当当事人更换理论的现状,并针对这一现状进行分析,重构我国的当事人更换理论。     

中国法学向何处去(续)——对梁治平“法律文化论”的批判

1978至2004年,中国法学在取得很大成就的同时也暴露出了它的问题,而它的根本问题就是未能为评价、批判和指引中国法制发展提供作为理论判准和方向的“中国法律理想图景”。这是一个没有中国法律理想图景的法学时代。据此,要对“中国为什么会缺失中国自己的法律理想图景”这个理论论题尝试给出回答,并对中国法学这一时代进行“总体性”的反思和批判。较为具体地讲,采用经过界定的“范式”分析概念,对中国法学中四种不同甚或存有冲突的理论模式即“权利本位论”、“法条主义”、“本土资源论”和“法律文化论”进行了深入探究。中国法学之所以无力引领中国法制发展,实是因为它们都受一种“现代化范式”的支配,而这种“范式”不仅间接地为中国法制发展提供了一幅“西方法律理想图景”,而且还使中国法学论者意识不到他们所提供的不是中国自己的“法律理想图景”;同时,这种占支配地位的“现代化范式”因无力解释和解决因其自身的作用而产生的各种问题,最终导致了作者所谓的“范式”危机。正是在批判“现代化范式”的基础上,我们必须结束这个受“西方现代化范式”支配的法学旧时代,开启一个自觉研究“中国法律理想图景”的法学新时代。     

小额贷款公司发展的法律障碍及克服路径

小额贷款公司的设立对改进和完善农村金融服务，提高农村金融市场的竞争性，缓解农户及中小企业融资困难，促进农业和农村经济发展，支持社会主义新农村建设具有积极意义。但当前小额贷款公司发展还面临立法层次低、身份定位脱离现实实践、政策优惠落实难、监管体系不健全等问题，要解决这些问题，应提高立法层级、明确身份定位、落实优惠政策、完善监管体系。     

论团体诉讼的制度理性

团体诉讼是民事诉讼中当事人制度体系中的一个范畴,我国学术界迄今尚未对其进行系统的理论研究。本文主要探讨两个问题:一是辨析团体诉讼的概念内涵和制度特征,以求证其立法上应有的制度空间。通过分析,团体诉讼与集团诉讼等相近范畴的界限变得更加清晰。二是着重探讨了团体诉讼制度的优势和弊端,深刻地揭示出团体诉讼制度所蕴含的社会发展前提及其强劲的政治影响功能,最后得出结论认为:我国应当引进团体诉讼制度,并与选定当事人制度、集团诉讼制度形成并存的三驾马车,从而完善我国的复杂当事人制度体系。     

中小图书馆随书光盘的有效管理

通过对随书光盘特点的总结和对随书光盘管理模式的简单介绍，分析了目前所采用的各种管理模式的优点和不足。结合我馆随书光盘管理的实践经验，探索性地提出了一种适合中小型图书馆的，简单有效的随书光盘管理方法。