Sources of local government extractive capacity: The role of trust and pre‐colonial legacy in the case of Uganda

Local government extractive capacity, as measured by the amount of graduated personal tax (GPT) collected relative to district wealth and population and, more qualitatively, as reflected in the nature of enforcement, varies considerably in Uganda. This article explores the reasons for this variation, first by investigating aggregate data at the cross‐district level, using data on taxation as well as survey data from the Afrobarometer, second, by a focussed comparison of two districts, one with high‐ and one with low‐extractive capacity. I find that generalised trust can explains some of the variation in extractive capacity across districts. The case studies trace the differences in trust and extractive capacity back to pre‐colonial rule; the better performing district having had centralised rule, a tradition of tax‐payment and a higher degree of social cohesion, while the poorer performing district had a more fragmented and less cohesive history of governance. The article thus points to the importance of understanding institutional path dependencies when assessing the feasibility of reform. Copyright © 2009 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

长江下游非条约口岸城市近代化动力分析

近代长江下游非条约口岸城市（主要指南通、无锡、常州）的发展是由几种力量所推动：西方资本主义生产方式的影响；长江下游区域市场化；交通运输业的发展；城市商业化；近代工业的兴起等。前三种力量是外部推动力，后两种是内部推动力，有关城市的近代化是内、外部因素“合力”推动的结果。其中工业化、商业化动力决定了近代长江下游非条约口岸城市的性质－近代工商业城市，而企业家的主观能动作用的发挥则是这类城市近代化动力中最关键的因素，成为控工中国非条约口岸城市发展的主要特点。     

古代衙门建筑与司法之价值追求——考察中国传统司法的一个特别视角

建筑常常是一个国家和民族的思想和文化载体，这在重视礼制的中国古代，尤其如此。衙门是中国古代地方官员行政司法的主要场所，是古代中国人的政治、法律思想的载体。考察现存的古代地方衙门建筑，我们可以发现，其建筑模式、规制、陈设等，无不在体现“亲民、教化、息讼”这三个中国传统司法价值追求的关键词。     

Incapacity of the Mind Secondary to Medication Misuse as a Not Criminally Responsible Defense

The manifestations of disorders of the mind may play a role in the occurrence of criminal behavior. In the majority of the cases, the presence of a psychiatric disorder is cited as the reason that an individual was not fully aware of his behavior. However, other conditions, such as seizure disorders or hypoglycemia, have also been linked to an inability to understand the nature and consequences of one's actions. On occasion, these situations can be explained by a state of automatism that may be described as insane or noninsane. In this article, we describe the case of a 77‐year‐old man, suffering from Parkinson's disease, where the issue of criminal responsibility associated with incapacity of the mind secondary to medication misuse was raised. We elaborate on the thinking behind this opinion and the implications according to Canadian law. Although the legal outcome of this case is specific to our jurisdiction, the clinical implication may be common to any patient suffering from a similar condition and may inform physicians, families, and lawyers.     

发挥工会“大学校”作用 建设高素质职工队伍

天津市经济技术开发区工会注重发挥"大学校"作用,充分利用各种教育资源,为各类、各层次职工服务,特别是为万名公寓员工服务,其职工书屋的推广和"金牌班组、首席员工"的评选,丰富了职工素质教育工程的内容。     

交通事故诉讼中保险人主体资格的法理评析

《第三者责任强制保险条例》实施后,道路交通事故受害人将承保机动车第三者责任强制保险和附加第三者责任险的保险公司作为共同被告起诉,要求保险公司在第三者强制保险及附加第三者责任保险责任限额内承担直接赔偿责任,目前理论界对此类案件的意见不一。区分第三者责任强制险与附加第三者责任险的性质是界定交通事故诉讼中保险人的主体资格与法律责任的前提;机动车第三者责任强制的保险人是适格被告,应在第三者责任保险的保险人不是适格被告,受害人无权直接向机动车第三者责任强制保险人求偿。     

欧盟非合同义务法律适用统一化——以《罗马条例Ⅱ》为中心

《罗马条例Ⅱ》的诞生,标志着欧盟国际私法统一化的最新发展——非合同义务领域法律适用的统一,从而使非合同义务的法律适用增加了一种“超国家”法律渊源。而且,统一的内容涉及侵权或不法行为、不当得利、无因管理等非合同之债的主要方面,统一的法律选择力求在法律适用的确定性与灵活性、管辖权选择与内容定向法律选择、社会公共利益与个人利益等方面达到平衡。欧盟非合同义务法律适用的统一化给中国国际私法立法以启示。     

社会中间层与第三部门的经济法学辨析

社会中间层和第三部门都是社会学领域的概念。在这两个概念中提出的同一社会背景下 ,经济法范畴内的调整对象也发生了一定的变化。目前 ,经济法学者也注意到一类新兴的主体可能给原有的经济法律关系带来变革 ,但是由于在借用社会学研究成果时认识的不同 ,存在概念使用上的混乱和模糊。本文提出“协会”自治团体的概念 ,试图从经济法主体的角度明确这类主体的内涵与外延。     

Electoral Reform and Parliamentary Debates

The early twentieth century saw many democracies adopt proportional representative systems. The textbook explanation, pioneered by Rokkan, emphasize between‐party electoral competition; the rise of the Socialist vote share made Bourgeois parties prefer PR systems to maximize their seat share. While appealing, this account is not entirely compelling. Consequently, scholars are investigating within‐party explanations of support for such reforms. Particularly, Cox, Fiva, and Smith show how list PR enable party leaders to discipline members and build cohesive parties. Relying on roll‐call votes across the Norwegian 1919 electoral reform from two‐round single‐member plurality to closed‐list PR, they show that the internal party cohesion increased following the reform. We investigate how the Norwegian electoral reform changed the content of parliamentary speeches. Comparing speeches from MPs present both before and after the reform, we show how parties become more cohesive in parliamentary debates under list PR than they were under the single‐member‐district system.     

论我国仲裁机构的法律属性及其改革方向

仲裁机构法律属性的确定关涉到仲裁机构治理、改革方向选择与中国仲裁制度优化。由于立法未明确仲裁机构法律属性,受政府牵头组建的模式与现行体制限制,仲裁机构继被归类于事业单位后,又被其分类改革裹挟而无所适从,整体"行政化"色彩严重。历史原因与当前深化政府机构改革的压力叠加,使得仲裁机构面临被"违法改革"的危机。仲裁私法自治的本性决定了仲裁机构的非官方性和独立性,制度竞争促使仲裁机构走向公益性和非营利性。我国仲裁机构改革应当彻底去行政化,确定公益性非营利法人定位,优化治理结构。仲裁应主要通过行业协会进行自治自律,政府监管需依法适度。融入国际竞争、完善仲裁法治、加强人才培养是未来仲裁发展之关键。