The Politics of the Minimum Wage in Hong Kong

This article provides an account of the recent introduction of a minimum wage in Hong Kong in 2011. Traditional welfare state theories had their origins in rich democracies. We refine the theoretical arguments in accordance with the semi-democratic nature of Hong Kong. We argue that the legislation was initiated reluctantly by the business-friendly government under unfavourable economic conditions. Any subsequent concessions to labour were not attributable to labour strength or political oppositions, which were very weak. Instead, multiple miscalculations by the politically dominant business side allowed the labour movement to gain limited grounds throughout the struggle. We also apply our arguments to the case of Singapore, illustrating how welfare state theories can be adapted to less democratic systems.     

Supporting low-income homeowners: lessons from a program to coordinate weatherization and rehabilitation services

Homeownership is the primary way most families build wealth in this country. Low-income homeowners are less likely to get that benefit because they are more likely to own older houses that are more costly to operate and need more essential maintenance. Rapidly escalating home energy costs are straining the budgets of many low-income homeowners, increasing the likelihood of under maintenance and mortgage default. This paper presents an evaluation of a demonstration program designed to coordinate weatherization and rehabilitation programs in order to assist low-income households, decrease energy costs, and to improve the condition and value of their homes. The experience of 11 local non-profit organizations, funded to develop programs to coordinate weatherization and housing rehabilitation services, were studied over a five-year period. The results of the evaluation indicate that there are many obstacles to coordinating weatherization and rehabilitation programs, but that it can be accomplished under the right conditions. Major gaps exist between program eligibility thresholds and in the types of assistance available to low-income homeowners. Policy recommendations for facilitating coordination are presented.     

The social relations of money as universal equivalent: a response to Ingham

In a recent debate in Economy and Society, Ingham criticized Marxist theory of money on the grounds that it relates money to commodities through the labour theory of value, while ignoring credit money. Ingham suggested instead that money is constituted by social relations characteristic of credit, namely relations of ‘promise to pay’. Drawing on Marx, this article shows that, pace Ingham, it is necessary theoretically to relate money to commodities. Money is indeed constituted by social relations, but these are commercial relations among ‘foreign’ commodity owners, not credit relations. The social relations of money are successfully captured by Marx's concept of the universal equivalent, when that is interpreted as monopoly over the ability to buy. In this light, both commodity and credit money are forms of the universal equivalent, but qualitatively different from each other.     

我国《信息网络传播权保护条例》制定的几个问题——从陈兴良索赔案谈起

陈兴良索赔案促进网下出版专有权向网上延伸,数字图书馆则通过个人作品授权变相夺取信息网络传播权。现实生活中所存在种种侵权事件,至今未见理论上的辨正;作者为作品评估机制所驱动,一般不会理会被侵权者的合法权益。这一些问题的解决,寄希望于《信息网络传播权保护条例》的早日出台。而该条例的制订,尚有待理论界对传播权进行定义,对传播权与传输权,网上传播权与网下著作权等关系进行廓清。     

西部农民“轻诉”现象的成因及对策分析——以甘肃省秦安县个案研究为倒

法律作为一种重要的规范调节手段,已被人们广泛地运用于维护自己的合法权益之中。农民的法律意识也在日渐提高。但是,西部农民相对于中部及东部农民采说,法律维权意识还很淡薄,农民“轻诉”现象的存在就是一个证明。本文以甘肃省秦安县的个案研究为例,对西部农民“轻诉”现象进行调查,并从传统法律文化、经济条件、外部社会条件等方面进行了分析,提出了相关的对策。     

劳动合同履行中存在的法律问题及实例分析

劳动合同制度是维系《劳动法》实施的前提和基础。当前我国劳动法律实施中还存在许多不容忽视的问题,部分问题还呈现出新的特点,数量与影响都尤为突出。分析劳动法实施中存在的新问题并建立起相应的预防机制是解决劳动合同履行的关键。     

厉行司法独立是加强、完善和发展党的领导的必由之路

实行党的法治领导,应当是我国社会主义法治系统工程的核心。实行党的法治领导要求厉行全党服从中央,坚决克服一切地方保护主义,包括司法地方保护主义。这就必须厉行司法独立,服从党中央领导制定的、具有全国统一的效力的宪法和法律的原则,这一原则不仅是法治区别于人治本质特征,也是党的法治领导的根本特征,是加强党对司法工作领导的最优化决策。由于党的核心领导与司法独立形成良性循环,使二者不断完善和发展,从而显示我国党所领导的社会主义法治,具有比资本主义法治更大的优越性。     

价值论的历史与现实意义透析

劳动、资本和土地 ,谁创造了价值 ?这个古老而久远的话题今天又成为人们争论的焦点。价值论是经济学的核心 ,而劳动价值论则是马克思主义政治经济学和科学社会主义的理论基础。通过对价值学说史的回顾和分析 ,再次说明只有劳动才是创造价值的惟一源泉。我国当前分配领域非劳动要素之所以能够参与分配 ,并不是由于它们参与了价值创造 ,而是一种财产所有权对价值的索取 ,非劳动要素分配只能是对按劳分配的一种补充形式。     

军队劳动教养性质辨析

分析军队劳动的教养的性质,应从多种视角分析国家劳动教养的性质,透析界定军队劳动教养性质所面临的理论冲突。基于军队劳动教养的军事治安处罚性、军内外部行政行为和军队制裁体系构成三个方面的因素,应将军队劳教的性质界定为一种军内外部行政行为的军纪处分。     

天水市劳动人口就业形势分析

劳动就业形势分析可以为改善劳动力结构及分布提供依据。本文就天水市劳动就业的基本情况对天水市劳动人口的数量、质量、行业分布及三次产业分布进行了就业的变化分析。