Outlaw Private Security Firms: Criminal and Terrorist Agendas Undermine Private Security Alternatives

The thousands of large and small private security establishments operating around the world today continue to expand in number, diversity, and capability. Government oversight is often lacking, and the impact on local, national and regional security and stability may be substantial. In the most troubled areas, the pockets of security provided by private security regimens provide may mean the difference between a failed state and one that is at least faltering. However, the advantages of “private security firm cover” quickly became evident to criminals and groups with terrorist agendas as well. This assessment addresses numerous cases from around the world of private security establishments that were either formed for—or otherwise turned to—the pursuit of criminal or terrorist purposes. The stated jihadist intent to infiltrate such companies underscores the need for law enforcement and intelligence attention to the recruiting, affiliations and activities of these security enterprises.     

所有权制度的历史分析

从历史的角度看,没有哪一项法律制度像所有权这样承载着极为厚重的人文价值。人类社会从蒙昧时期、文明时期发展到近现代社会时期,所有权制度经历了从原始的财产支配到个人人性乃至社会整体的精神解放、从等级身份制条件下的公然不平等到形式主义的人人平等、从近现代的绝对所有权到现代社会兼顾实质平等的所有权这些重大的法律价值嬗变。所有权制度的有效性,是法律体系的核心目标,而有效的所有权制度,只有从认真对待民众的自然权利的角度入手才能够真正予以理解。在我国,解放民众所有权上的制度和思想桎梏、建立科学的公共财产所有权制度,应当成为我国进一步发展所有权制度的社会共识。     

DISCUSSION - Agricultural Policy Reform and Rural Livelihoods in Central Mexico

This contribution examines the impact of profound changes to agricultural policy implemented since 1988 on the livelihoods of Mexico's rural population. Detailed studies in four villages show that rural incomes are very unevenly distributed within communities leaving half of households in poverty. During the last decade key factors affecting village economies have been international and national, rather than specific changes to farm policy. Most changes have been to the detriment of the communities studied, but peasant households have adapted and survived, at a price. If the worst fears about the consequences of economic liberalisation have not been realised, neither have the hopes. Depressed markets for basic goods and services have limited the growth of the rural economy. Private investment and provision of services have not been stimulated.     

探究民营银行发展之路

民营银行之争由来已久。中国的银行业不缺数量,缺的是结构,缺草根金融。该文回顾了民营银行艰难的探索历程,指出应科学界定民营银行经营范围和服务对象,消除制度障碍和现实阻碍,秉承先试点,后推广,循序渐进的发展思路,不断完善顶层设计,提升自身实力,让民营银行逐渐成长为金融体系中一支审要的力量。     

DIFFERING OPINIONS DO NOT SPOIL FRIENDSHIPS: MANAGING PUBLIC–PRIVATE PARTNERSHIP (PPP) INFRASTRUCTURE PROJECTS IN JORDAN

This research investigates the approaches, strategies and challenges facing the management of the implementation phase of public–private partnership (PPP) projects in Jordan. Jordan is a newer but common user of PPPs in the Middle Eastern region, where PPPs not only are of economic strategic importance but also entail significant investment risk given resource scarcity. This research involves semi‐structured interviews with senior managers representing different partnering organisations in two case study organisations in Jordan. The research finds that, despite the management difficulties confronting PPP managers, strategies adopted by them limit the impact of these challenges. The research makes an important theoretical contribution in providing a detailed analysis of effective PPP management approaches in response to difficulties at the implementation phase, which had not been systematically explored in extant PPP research, and broadens PPP research to the Jordanian context. Moreover, the research contributes greater understanding of how partnerships should be effectively managed. Copyright © 2013 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Fair enough? Fair Trade and the quality of life amongst Bolivia's indigenous women artisans

This paper examines whether Fair Trade improved the quality of life for Fair Trade women artisans and their communities in Bolivia's high Andes. Grounded in the work of Amartya Sen and ethnographic study, Fair Trade is explored as a form of justice rooted in women's individual freedoms and capabilities. The intellectual merit of this paper is to examine how Fair Trade bridges women's participation in globalisation and development. The broader scope is to create a dialogue around the ethnic feminist experience and private enterprise to expand the understanding of Fair Trade as economic development.

Assez équitable ? Le Commerce Equitable et la qualité de la vie parmi les femmes-artisans indigènes en Bolivie

Dans cet article il s'agit d'une évaluation de l'amélioration dans la qualité de vie des femmes-artisans engagées dans le Commerce Equitable et de leurs villages aux Hautes Andes de Bolivie. Le Commerce Equitable, basé sur l'?uvre d'Amartya Sen et sur des études ethnographiques, est examiné comme une forme de justice enracinée dans les libertés et les aptitudes personnelles des femmes. Le mérite intellectuel de cet article est d'examiner la façon dont le Commerce Equitable englobe la participation des femmes dans la mondialisation et dans le développement. Son déploiement est de créer un dialogue autour de l'expérience féminine et de l'entreprise privée pour mieux comprendre le développement économique du Commerce Equitable.

¿Bastante justo? El comercio justo y la calidad de vida entre las artesanas indígenas de Bolivia

El presente artículo analiza si el comercio justo mejoró la calidad de vida de las artesanas y de sus comunidades en los Andes de Bolivia. Fundamentado en el trabajo de Amartya Sen y en distintos estudios etnográficos, el comercio justo se considera como una forma de justicia surgida de las libertades individuales y de las capacidades de las mujeres. El mérito intelectual de este artículo radica en analizar cómo el comercio justo vincula la participación de las mujeres con la globalización y con el desarrollo. Su objetivo más amplio consiste en generar un diálogo en torno a las vivencias étnicas feministas y a la iniciativa privada, cuyo fin es profundizar la comprensión que se tiene del comercio justo como una vía para el desarrollo económico.

Justo o suficiente? O Comércio Justo e a qualidade de vida entre as mulheres indígenas artesãs da Bolívia

Este artigo examina se o Comércio Justo (Fair Trade) melhorou a qualidade de vida de mulheres artesãs do Comércio Justo e de suas comunidades nos altos Andes da Bolívia. Tendo como referência o trabalho de Amartya Sen e estudo etnográfico, o Comércio Justo é explorado como forma de justiça baseada na liberdade e capacidade individual das mulheres. O mérito intelectual deste artigo é examinar como o Comércio Justo estende a participação das mulheres na globalização e desenvolvimento. O escopo mais amplo visa proporcionar um diálogo sobre a experiência feminista étnica e empresa privada para aumentar a compreensão do Comércio Justo como desenvolvimento econômico.     

Local Public-Services Provision under Public–Private Partnerships: Contractual Design and Contracting Parties Incentives

When deciding to resort to a PPP contract for the provision of a local public service, local governments have to consider the demand risk allocation between the contracting parties. In this article, I investigate the effects of demand risk allocation on the accountability of procuring authorities regarding consumers changing demand, as well as on the cost-reducing effort incentives of the private public-service provider. I show that contracts in which the private provider bears demand risk motivate more the public authority from responding to customer needs. This is due to the fact that consumers are empowered when the private provider bears demand risk, that is, they have the possibility to oust the private provider in case of non-satisfaction with the service provision, which provides procuring authorities with more credibility in side-trading and then more incentives to be responsive. As a consequence, I show that there is a lower matching with consumers’ preferences over time when demand risk is on the public authority rather than on the private provider, and this is corroborated in the light of two famous case studies. However, contracts in which the private provider does not bear demand risk motivate more the private provider from investing in cost-reducing efforts. I highlight then a tradeoff in the allocation of demand risk between productive and allocative efficiency. The striking policy implication of this article for local governments would be that the current trend towards a greater resort to contracts where private providers bear little or no demand risk may not be optimal. Local governments should impose demand risk on private providers within PPP contracts when they expect that consumers’ preferences over the service provision will change over time.     

反思与探究:“孙大午案”的剖析及司法理念的重塑

"孙大午案"折射出司法者对非法吸收公众存款罪持宽泛理解的态度,通过本案可看出法体系整体性思考的重要性,以及前置法——刑法阶层性思维的必要性。非法吸收公众存款罪中的"存款"应仅限于"银行信用"范畴,通过引入"既存的实质性联系"标准对"不特定"的内涵进行限定,从而实现前置法与刑法之间的衔接。进一步,刑法具有二次性违法的特征,司法过程切忌价值先行。     

公共信托原则与土地环境损害赔偿的甄别标准

作为英美法系的一项古老原则,公共信托原则指的是政府应当保障社会公众能实现对环境资源所应当享有的权益,有时出于公共利益不得不使个人的财产权利作出一定的让步。但公共信托原则的适用经常与美国宪法的公用征收条款发生混淆或冲突,特别是如果事前政府并未获得财产所有权,却实际上由于对私人财产造成环境损害而侵犯了私人财产所有者对其财产享有的权利,政府是否应当向财产所有者赔偿损失,这就涉及公共信托原则与反向征收的甄别。二者甄别标准的确定需要对一系列相互冲突的范畴进行权衡,如社会的经济发展目标与环境资源保护目标、私人所有权与公众对环境资源的正当权益、公民的生存权利与环境权利等,不同的案例凸现不同的社会需求,因而需要彰显的价值目标亦各有区别。     

日本国际私法现代化的最新进展——从《法例》到《法律适用通则法》

《法律适用通则法》是日本为实现其国际私法立法现代化的目标而对《法例》进行修订的结果。《通则法》对《法例》的修订,不仅体现在立法名称和法律语言的现代化上,更体现在法律适用规则的现代化上。在法律适用方面,《通则法》主要对行为能力、后见开始的审判、失踪宣告、合同、侵权、无因管理、不当得利益以及债权转让等领域的法律适用规则进行了完善。《通则法》的制定对我国国际私法立法的完善有一定借鉴作用。