Access and control of agro-biotechnology: Bt cotton,ecological change and risk in China

This article argues that if the introduction of genetically modified crops (GM crops) in developing countries is to be successful, we can and should not evade questions of access and control of technology. It implies probing into the experiences, perceptions and understanding of GM crops by the prime user: the farmer. Exactly in these respects the scholarly literature is remarkably silent. We know little about farmers' experiences and perceptions of GM crops' potential risks and benefits. This is evident when concentrating on a major GM crop – Bt cotton – and studying this in the context of China, its second largest producer in the world. Based on the results of a large survey, we demonstrate that Chinese farmers' awareness (‘having heard of’) and their understanding (‘being able to explain’) of Bt cotton is low. This may lead to ill-informed, distorted risk perceptions and a general inability to relate agricultural production problems to the specific nature of transgenic cotton cultivation. A great majority of the farmers find that the Chinese seed market was liberalised too early, in turn leading to a high incidence of ‘stealth transgenics’ or illegal seeds, the undermining of farmers' trust in private institutions, and a weakened biosafety regime. This finding points to the need for continued state intervention in the seed market, particularly in a developing context. Finally, we have discovered that farmers report a significantly lower reduction in pesticide use by Bt cotton than found in other studies. As suggested by recent research, we suspect that the higher pesticide use is necessary to control secondary pests – i.e. pests other than the cotton bollworm. We present empirical evidence that Chinese farmers perceive a substantive increase in secondary pests after Bt cotton was introduced.     

How Single-Parent Children Speak About Poverty and Social Exclusion: Policy Implications From a Comparative,Qualitative, Cross-National Project

This article presents some of the key findings from a comparative, qualitative research study carried out in the United Kingdom, Greece, and Cyprus. The main goal of the study was to investigate single-parent children's experiences and understandings of poverty and social exclusion in their everyday lives and to make relevant policy recommendations. The article highlights children's voices and illustrates the utility of integrating them in efforts to develop sensitive policies which meet their needs as these stem from their own experiences of poverty and social exclusion while also making the case for the utility of comparative, qualitative, cross-national research.     

Book reviews

During the past two decades agrarian (‘land and farm’) reforms have been widespread in the transition economies of Eastern Europe, the Caucasus and Central Asia (EECCA), following earlier ones in Asia (China and Vietnam). However, independent family farms did not become the predominant sector in most of Eastern Europe. A new dual (or bi-modal) agrarian structure emerged, consisting of large farm enterprises (with much less social functions than they had before), and very small peasant farms or subsidiary plots. The paper compares five case studies, looking at agrarian actors, property rights, state influence, and rural poverty. These are Russia, Armenia, Moldova and Uzbekistan in the EECCA region, and China's Xinjiang province in Asia. The paper concludes that state influence is still substantial, property rights regimes are quite diverse and rural poverty remains medium to high. State-led agrarian reform, in particular where a redistributive (or restitution-based) land reform was implemented led in some cases to land-based wealth redistribution, but policies and institutions were lacking to support the individual farm sector. More often the outcome was a rapid transfer of land in the hands of corporate farm enterprises, reversing the initial process of ‘re-peasantization’. It seems that the old ‘Soviet dream’ of mega-farm enterprises in the ‘transition to capitalism’ has regained prominence, with huge agro-holdings ‘calling the shots’, providing an insecure future for agricultural workers, peasants and farmers.     

关于文登市新型农村合作医疗的调查报告

通过封文登市新型农村合作医疗的调查发现,现在参加新型农村合作医疗的农村居民参与度低、个人缴费少,80％的资金来源于各级政府,待遇支付管“小”不管“大”,客观上造成“帮富不帮贫”,政府成为新型农村合作医疗的主角,制度的建立不能解决参加新型农村合作医疗的农村居民因病致贫和因病返贫问题。针对上述问题,本文建议加强宣传,增强农农村居民的保险意识,提高参加新型农村合作医疗的农村居民本人的缴费比例及数额,政府加大封农村居民中弱势群体的补助,取消新型农村合作医疗家庭账户,调整新型农村合作医疗支付结构,变保“小”为保“大”,加快医药卫生体制改革,有效地防止参加新型农村合作医疗的农民因病致贫和因病返贫。     

资源贫乏的少数民族山区建立扶贫新机制的思路

资源贫乏的少数民族山区,经济基础设施简陋,经济实力单薄,扶贫的任务非常艰巨.为实现2000年农村人口基本解决温饱的目标,必须采用非常措施,因为传统的扶贫措施,已被证明对最低层的贫困人口的脱贫效果甚微.因此,要充分利用西部大开发的有利时机,启动新的扶贫机制.     

中国实施反贫困战略的法学分析

本文在分析我国贫困形成的制度性原因基础上 ,剖析了公共权力在反贫困中的作用 ,探讨了开发性扶贫中的基础资源配置问题、分配正义与反贫困的关系问题、贫困者的权利保障机制问题 ,并提出了我国制定《反贫困法》的构想。     

The Chinese Dream Is Not Coni ned to China

正The Chinese Dream in Full Swing Speech Extracts from the International Dialogue on the Chinese Dream ForumTODAY’S China can dream about a life without material constraints like poverty or slow growth.By the middle of the century,it is projected that the Chinese Dream will     

四川盆周地区区域贫困的成因及对策研究

四川盆周地区地域广阔,经济滞后,四川贫困地区和农村贫困人口主要集聚在这一地区,摆脱贫困、寻求经济发展已成为这一地区的首要课题.本文就从思想意识、地理劣势、经济基础及政治政策等几个方面来探讨盆周地区的贫困成因,并由此提出了对策与建议.     

农民工问题的法学追问

“三农”问题主要归类为经济问题并以经济性概念来表达,它延伸到城市还产生了农民工问题。由农民扩展而来的农民工概念是职业与身份的代名词,事实上已演变成为公共的污水沟,政府、社会与媒体难辞其咎。农民工的问题是权利贫困和制度贫困的问题,但法律视野的遮蔽导致各种歧视长期不断延伸,因此,从法学上重新认识民工问题并进行系列制度性改造,必然是彻底解决民工问题的最佳方法。     

党的正确领导是脱贫的根本--定西地区围绕扶贫抓党建的调查与思考

自1983年以来,定西地区各级党组织带领广大干部群众,发扬"三苦"精神,群策群力,奋发有为,苦战18年,一举摘掉绝对贫困的帽子.究其原因配置合理、精干、团结、协作的领导班子,增强党组织的凝聚力和战斗力;解放思想、转变观念,提高各级党组织带领广大人民群众脱贫致富的水平和能力;建立干部激励约束机制,增强党组织的活力和动力.