From ‘Tiger’ to ‘PIIGS’: Ireland and the use of heuristics in comparative political economy

This article analyses the consequences of the narrative construction of the group of countries that has been grouped as ‘PIIGS’ (Portugal, Ireland, Italy, Greece and Spain) for their sovereign debt risk rating. Acronyms for groups of countries can provide a useful shorthand to capture emergent similarities in economic profile and prospects. But they can also lead to misleading narratives, since the grounds for use of these terms as heuristic devices are usually not well elaborated. This article examines the process whereby the ‘PIIGS’ group came into being, traces how Ireland became a member of this grouping, and assesses the merits of classifying these countries together. The contention is that the repetition of the acronym in public debate did indeed shape the behaviour of market actors toward these countries. It is argued that this involved a co‐constituting process: similarities in market treatment drives PIIGS usage, which in turn promotes further similarities in market treatment. Evidence is found of Granger causality, such that increased media usage of the term ‘PIIGS’ is followed by increased changes in Irish bond yields. This demonstrates the constitutive role of perceptions and discourse in interpreting the significance of economic fundamentals. The use of acronyms as heuristics has potentially far‐reaching consequences in the financial markets.     

论赋予设区市的地方立法权

赋予设区市的地方立法权是城市经济发展、解决社会矛盾、处理地方事务以及发挥法治在地方改革引领作用的必然结果。但在全面赋予设区市地方立法权时如果制度设计不当,可能会带来法治碎片化、立法质量下降、助长地方保护主义以及侵蚀中央立法权的危险,对此要有充分的准备和对策。对设区市地方立法权的赋予可采取稳步推进方式,实现成熟一个赋予一个的渐进性路径,在一定期限内还要对受赋权的地方立法加强备案审查以及定期评估,并科学配置地方立法权限,以确保地方立法质量。     

Robotic prostheses as products enhancing the rights of people with disabilities. Reconsidering the structure of liability rules

The term ‘robot’ refers to a wide variety of devices, serving very different purposes. The case of robotic prostheses is considered here. After defining such devices, and briefly describing the technical peculiarities that characterize their functioning and distinguish them from traditional implants, their relevance with respect to the fundamental rights of people with disabilities is considered. Pursuant to the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities, a claim is made that favouring the development of said applications may be required to subscribing states. In light of such considerations, the liability regime – namely that emerging from the Defective Product Directive – is analysed, in the attempt to determine – with a prospective analysis – the impact that said rules are likely to have on their development. The technology-chilling effect and the anticipated extremely complex evidentiary burden the user would have to face in order to obtain compensation lead us to conclude that legal reform is advisable. Some alternatives are considered, and in particular that of the development of a – partially – state-funded no-fault plan, intended to allow more ex ante certainty for producers and researchers (favouring the development of said devices), and prompt and adequate compensation to the victim in case an accident occurs.     

Disability,right to culture and copyright: which regulatory option?

Access to knowledge and participation in cultural life for persons with disabilities has always constituted a tough challenge. Recent studies show that only 5% of published works are available in accessible format, and the number plummets to 1% in developing countries. Coupled with the high costs of production and distribution, and the full reliance on public funds and intervention of public or non-profit organizations, copyright has traditionally represented an additional obstacle on the path for a broader availability of accessible works. Recently, the situation has worsened with the tilting in the balance between rights and exceptions caused by the legislative response to digital threats, when the unprecedented opportunities offered by new technologies to foster accessibility have been largely trumped by copyright law. Still, the last decades have witnessed the beginning of a paradigm shift, originating from the human rights arena, and moving towards a new definition of the interplay between authors’ rights and the right to take part in cultural life, both at a general level and with particular regards to persons with disabilities. This article offers a diachronic overview of the path that, from the rediscovery of Article 15 of the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights through its General Comments to Article 30 of the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities, has led to the adoption of the Marrakesh Treaty. It then analyses, with a focus on the European Union and its Member States, the national and regional responses to the new human rights obligations, looking at the relations between legislative exceptions and model or collective license agreements. The assessment of the strengths and weaknesses of the two main regulatory options lays the groundwork for proposals of further areas of intervention, necessary to fully comply with the international human rights obligations and to achieve the fullest access to and participation in culture possible for persons with disabilities, by using the tools offered by international and national copyright law.     

Russia–EU relations at a crossroads: preventing a new Cold War in a polycentric world

In the past year, the Ukrainian crisis has generated an international discussion about a ‘new Cold War’. This article looks into the likelihood of such a scenario and makes suggestions of how it may be precluded. The course of events depends on whether the current model of globalization can be reversed. This would mean not only a change in the current structure of the global economy, but its dismantling. However, it is obvious that for most European and other states, the risks associated with such a policy outweigh potential geopolitical and economic benefits. The international order is in a state of flux. High risks are unacceptable when governments or nations pursue their interests in a stable environment. But when the balance of power shifts substantially, as it has now, the perception of risk threshold also begins to change. European history has shown that large-scale transformations in international relations in most cases triggered tension and violence, caused by rising demands of ascending powers and by resistance of those who were challenged. In the twenty-first century, the polycentric structure of the world provides an opportunity to achieve a new lasting global settlement, and to put an end to the current period of increasing tension.     

The Engage programme and the Government Communication Network in the UK, 2006–2010

The Engage programme was launched in April 2006 by the Government Communication Network (GCN) in the UK. As a civil service body supporting those in government working as press officers and in marketing roles, the GCN under the New Labour government in the period 2006–2010 was involved with the extension of the logic of marketisation to government communication. This article charts this process by examining key government policy documents from this period. The rationale for Engage rested on the assumption that government in the UK needed to adapt its communication approach to reach what were perceived as individualised consumers in society. The extension of the logic of marketisation to government communication that happened under Engage is shown to be consistent with the New Public Management approach to public services under New Labour. Copyright © 2014 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

朱元璋的制度反腐及其教训

鉴于元朝灭亡的教训,朱元璋力图从制度上预防与惩治贪污腐败。他制定低俸禄与低办公经费制度强迫官员保持节俭的作风,以严酷的法律惩治贪污腐败,并建立了一个完善的监察系统搜集官员腐败的证据。朱元璋的制度建设虽然对遏制贪污腐败起到了一定震慑作用,但即使是在朱元璋时代,贪污行为也屡发不绝。朱元璋过世后,低俸禄与低办公经费成为官员贪腐的正当理由,严酷的反贪法律的执行因为完全取决于皇帝的态度实际上也逐渐废止了,监察制度也变成了党争的工具。尽管如此,朱元璋的制度反腐仍然为今天的廉政建设提供了可资借鉴的经验与教训:反腐教育应当常抓不懈,反腐应摆脱依赖个人意志的法律,注意保持官员的适当工资水平。     

关于修改后刑事诉讼法执行情况的若干思考

The revised Law of Criminal Procedure, of which the key idea is to tighten the restraint on and supervi-sion over public power and protect the private rights effectively, shows the pursuits of refined,...     

中国特色社会主义生态文明建设道路的“超越性”解读

中国特色社会主义生态文明建设道路是对传统资本主义发展道路的根本性超越,这种"超越性"主要体现在:与西方传统工业文明发展道路不同,中国特色社会主义道路将生态文明作为衡量未来社会发展的重要维度之一,彰显了该道路的创造性和人民性。中国特色社会主义道路所提出的生态文明理念是对传统资本主义发展道路的根本性超越,是对人民未来利益发展的根本维护,是人类实现真正发展的必由之路。     

乡镇政府回应：意义、存在的问题及对策

乡镇政府及其工作人员能否对乡村社会和广大农民的需求做出积极、负责任的回应，直接关系到新农村建设的成效。因此，提升乡镇政府回应能力就要改革压力型行政体制，合理划分各级政府的事权；把握好回应指向；转变乡镇政府职能；建立健全乡镇政府回应机制和注重对乡镇政府回应进行科学的绩效评估等。