再谈农业人口与非农业人口的统计问题

“也谈农业人口与非农业人口的统计问题”发表后,农业人口统计资料失真后该怎么办,我国目前到底是农业人口多还是非农业人口多?这成为笔者需向同行和读者认真回答的两个问题。对前者其办法不外乎以下五种:一是取消农业人口与非农业人口的划分,而代之以乡村人口与城镇人口;二是继续让原有的农业人口与非农业人口资料滥竽充数;三是借用联合国粮农组织数据库中有关中国农业人口的资料;四是公开宣布公安系统统计的人口数据是农业户口的人口与非农业户口的人口;五是千方百计搞一套接近实际的中国农业人口与非农业人口资料。前三种办法均不可取,第四种办法从公安系统来说,也许有一定的保留价值,但它无助于农业人口与非农业人口统计问题的解决,所以,只有第五种办法才是科学合理的;对后者,如截至目前,肯定是非农业人口比农业人口多。     

论人与自然和谐以及人与社会和谐的关系

人与自然关系的和谐决定人与人社会关系的和谐,同样,人与自然关系的对抗也决定着人与社会关系的对抗。人类只有通过改变其经济发展方式,才能将人与自然的这种对抗性关系转向和谐性关系,进而才能建立起一个美满和谐的社会。     

我国农村公务员行政行为的外部性现象分析

农村公务人员高效率的行政行为是农村经济与社会发展的动力,但其行为中的外部性问题却影响行政行为的效力。因为无论是正外部性还是负外部性都与帕累托最优原则不符,因此通过外部性理论审视与分析农村公务员行政行为中的正外部性与负外部性现象的表现形式及形成原因,在制度层面完善对农村公务员行政行为的激励与约束措施,弥补正外部性行为的额外成本支出,加大负外部性现象的成本风险。     

我国中小企业融资效率研究

我国中小企业主要集中在一些技术含量低,风险相对低,劳动密集型的产业和行业。其利润水平低,存在着资金供给渠道狭窄,内源融资规模有限,直接有效的资金供给不足,风险投资渠道不完善,商业信用不发达,以及贷款供给期限过短等障碍。中小企业融资效率主要受融资成本、资金到位率、资金利用率、企业清偿能力、融资机制规范程度、融资主体自由度等六方面的制约。为此应重视内源融资,优化资本结构,多种融资模式结合;强化现代企业制度,改善公司治理结构,选择符合企业长远利益的好的投资项目,保持对企业的控制权;建立针对中小企业的证券市场,完善中小企业的信用担保体系,有效降低企业的融资成本,为企业直接融资效率的提高创造良好的宏观条件。     

论构建中国特色检察制度

中国检察制度与中国特色社会主义制度紧密相关,是中国社会和政治制度的必然选择,与西方三权分立下的检察制度具有本质属性区别,因此,确立和完善中国检察制度必须考虑中国社会实际和中国的基本政治制度。履行宪法赋予的法律监督职能是中国检察机关的基本职责,也是检察制度的核心内容。为了适应社会发展变革的需要,中国检察制度还需要进行改革,改革应当立足中国国情,同时也要放眼世界,应当从健全法制、改进领导体制以及完善保障机制等方面去努力。     

论和谐社会审美精神的建构和指向

和谐社会的审美精神，既是社会发展的现实需要，又是中华民族优秀文化传统发扬光大的需要。中华文明五千年历史文化中积淀着和谐意识与和谐美精神，建构起和谐精神的根基。现代和谐社会在继承发展中，以其现代意识提升人的综合素质，提高生活的品质，弥合现实与理想的关系和矛盾，从而以审美精神建构和谐社会，使和谐社会呈现出审美化、理想化与现实性、功用性结合的特征，体现出和谐社会的审美价值和意义。     

What Limits for Government Control? Civil Liberties and Anti‐terror Measures after the Heathrow Bomb Plot

The threat posed by transnational terrorism has excited debate about how best to calibrate relations between government, the courts and parliament: how can the provision of internal security be facilitated, whilst respecting freedoms and ensuring that policies enjoy broad legitimacy? Attention has focussed primarily on the power of the courts. Sections of the government have mooted a curtailment of judicial competencies; by contrast, a broad range of actors calls for ‐ at the least ‐ the maintenance of current judicial powers as the best means to prevent government from exploiting its already large scope for manoeuvre, as well as to overcome public scepticism. Yet the current debate misses the point that relations between government, courts and parliament have already been altered. Government has gained extra political resources thanks to its participation in forms of international counterterrorist cooperation. This shift of power, and associated problems, were clear during the recent ‘Heathrow bomb plot’.     

Globalization and legal change: The “Americanization” of European law?

Intensified global economic competition, economic liberalization, and the rise of EU governance have led some observers to argue that there has been a trend toward the “Americanization” of the European “way of law.” This article addresses that contention, focusing on legal change in European member states. It first describes ways in which the American legal tradition has differed most sharply from the national legal systems of Western Europe (including Great Britain) and the political and economic factors that account for this “American legal distinctiveness.” Similar political and economic factors currently are at work in Europe, the article acknowledges, creating incentives for legal convergence. But it also argues that European legal culture and the political organization of European national states generate path‐dependent forces that impede European movement toward American ways of law, and it discusses six important differences between European and American law that remain entrenched and are unlikely to disappear.     

Effectiveness of private finance initiatives (PFI): study of private financing for the provision of capital assets for schools

The study reported in this paper explores how effective Public Private Partnerships (PPP) have been as critical providers of capital assets within the state education sector in the UK. Specifically, the research investigates the impact on educational provision of the UK government's contentious £43 billion Private Finance Initiative (PFI). The inquiry focuses on 27 English Local Education Authorities (LEAs) currently or recently involved in PFI. The investigation examines the effect of PFI's on LEA decision‐making processes and discusses these authorities assessment of the UK government's current PFI strategy. An evaluation of PFI as a source of sustainable finance is reported as well as recommendations made for LEAs currently considering adoption of PFI. Through such analysis, this study seeks to de‐layer and ascertain the influence of complex external environmental influences and stakeholders that need to be taken into account in order to make PPPs work. The paper concludes by presenting the critical considerations for enhancing the working relationship between private and public sector partners. Copyright © 2007 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Independent regulatory agencies in Turkey: are they really autonomous?

This article examines the autonomy of independent regulatory agencies (IRAs) in Turkey. It explores, first, the different factors that have led to the creation of IRAs and second, the legislative basis of their formal or de jure autonomy. Thereafter, the article assesses the extent to which this formal autonomy is really put in practice and how it is perceived by board members. The enquiry was conducted through a survey comprising interviews and a questionnaire applied to the same. It concludes that although formal autonomy is satisfactorily provided for by law, government tends to limit this autonomy through secondary legislation. Consequently, there are some constraints on the actual use of autonomy. Concerning de facto autonomy, survey findings show that boards are exposed to external and internal pressures and interference in their deliberations. Thus, the assumption that ‘the greater the autonomy the more efficient the management’ is questioned. The main sources of pressure on board members are from the regulated sectors themselves. These findings have an important bearing on democracy and the political–administrative interface, as it is confronted by market forces. Copyright © 2007 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.