Why economics needs to be distinguished from physics,and why economists need to talk to physicists: a response to Foster and Holleman

Foster and Holleman argue that the systems ecologist H.T. Odum offered a valid theoretical framework for conceptualizing ecologically unequal exchange, and demonstrate its affinity with the Marxian theory of unequal exchange of embodied labour. However, both approaches suffer from the same fundamental confusion of the biophysical and the economic. The affinity between labour and energy theories of the unequal exchange of value was demonstrated by S.C. Lonergan already in 1988, but to thus define asymmetric transfers of biophysical resources in terms of underpaid ‘use values’ is misleading. Foster's recent endorsement of Odum is inconsistent with his earlier rejection of Odum's intellectual ancestor S. Podolinsky. While the ambition to ecologize Marx is laudable, it is in the interests of correct historiography and contemporary environmental justice activism to untangle some of the analytical problems in Foster and Holleman's article. A major problem is their failure to acknowledge the implications of N. Georgescu-Roegen's conceptualization of the relation between economics and thermodynamics.     

Besprechungen

Ohne Zusammenfassung     

Central-Local Government Relations in Transition: The Case of Swedish Child Care

The provision of subsidized child care has grown to become asizeable economic activity in Sweden during recent decades.This paper examines the changed financial relation betweencentral and local governments and the impact of child-caregrants on local government behaviour. We find that during anearlier regime, with a system of matching grants, localgovernments responded strongly to the incentives of the rules.This resulted in both intended and unintended outcomes, aswell as a distortion of information to the central government.Experiences from a recent transition of regime towards a kindof closed block grant system, illustrates new types ofadaptive behaviour but also the problem of finding a formulafor a fair allocation of resources among local governments.When designing a block grant system a distinction must be madebetween expenditures and resource needs; cost expenditure datado not necessarily reflect resource needs in cases where thereare national categorical equity goals related to socialservices of a merit-want character.     

Intersectoral efficiency between agriculture and industry in six C.M.E.A. countries: Introducing a simple equilibrium model

The purposes of this paper is to show how the long-run preferences for industry and agriculture of the planning bodies in six C.M.E.A. countries can be analyzed by using data on factor allocations in these sectors. Indicative results describing these preferences are obtained and existing inefficiencies in labor allocation and the relative domestic prices of industrial and agricultural goods are discussed. The conclusions suggest that the preferences of the planning bodies have stayed completely constant over 1950–1980 only in the case of the GDR, and that allocations of labor and domestic price ratios have mostly been far from optimal over that period in the countries that were analyzed.     

A Greener Future

In the past year, extreme weather events have erupted across the globe, and 2010 looks to be one of the hottest years in recorded history. That has placed an onus on the Cancun conference to prompt     

New designer drug of abuse: 3,4-Methylenedioxypyrovalerone (MDPV). Findings from apprehended drivers in Finland

Starting in 2008 a new designer drug, 3,4-methylenedioxypyrovalerone (MDPV) appeared among users of illegal drugs in Finland. Since then there have been several seizures of MDPV by police and customs and it has been connected to many crimes of different types. In this study the incidence and impact of the use of MDPV in drivers suspected of being under the influence of drugs (DUID) in Finland was assessed. Since autumn 2009, blood samples from drivers suspected of DUID in Finland have been analysed for the presence of MDPV. A new LC-MS/MS method for the determination of MDPV in serum was established. In order to assess the impact of MDPV on driving performance, drug and alcohol findings of positive MDPV cases were compared with data from the clinical examination carried out while the suspect was under arrest. In a period of one year there were 259 positive MDPV cases from apprehended drivers (5.7% of all confirmed DUID cases). In 80% of the cases in which MDPV was found, amphetamine was also present. Benzodiazepines were also frequently found together with MDPV, which was to be expected since in Finland, in our experience, stimulants are very often used together with benzodiazepines. In most cases it remained unclear whether the observed psycho-physical achievement deficiency was induced by MDPV because the concentrations of other drugs, especially other stimulants, were often high. However, in some subjects, MDPV, or MDPV in combination with other substances was the most probable cause of the impairment. The concentrations of MDPV varied from 0.016mg/L to over 8.000mg/L. Little is known about the pharmacology of MDPV. However, based on our findings it is clear that MDPV has a serious impact on traffic safety in Finland.