Psychological costs of currency transition: evidence from the euro adoption

This paper assesses the perceived individual psychological costs of adhering to the Euro. We use the difference-in-differences approach (DD), comparing individual levels of satisfaction with the economy in Slovakia immediately before and after the introduction of the Euro, with similar individuals in neighboring Czech Republic, which did not adopt the Euro. Both countries were economically and politically integrated for decades, and display similar macroeconomic behavior before and after the currency change in Slovakia. What we assess is not the actual, economic, costs stemming from the Euro adoption, but the change in utility as perceived by the individuals. There is evidence of substantial psychological costs associated with currency transition, especially for the old, the unemployed, the poorly educated and households with children. Our results are robust to the use of alternative control groups and to estimation procedures using the DD matching approach. The significant perceived costs uncovered in this paper suggest policy-makers should not ignore them when considering a sweeping economic change such as the adoption of a new currency.     

拾遗与补缺:论《农民专业合作社法》的完善

农民专业合作社法在发挥其确认和规范功能的同时，也暴露出不足之处。在成员方面，合作社法对成员资格的规定语焉不详，对成员权利与义务规定得不合理。在合作社组织方面，对合作社的登记与变更、成员退社及再入社、监督机构设置、破产能力和合作社联合社的规定存在诸多问题。在合作社运营方面，对合作社无正当理由长时间不开业没有规定，盈余分配中公积金提取量不明，没有规定公益金提取，且盈余分配不能体现激励机制。合作社法在个别条文和字句上也有瑕疵，立法体例不尽完美。     

Food policy reforms for sustainable agricultural development in Uzbekistan, the Kyrgyz Republic, and Tajikistan

Given the present conditions of demographic growth and the complicated transition toward market economies in Central Asia, the problems of food security and designing policies to achieve it without compromising economic growth are at the forefront of policy agendas in these countries. This paper reviews food policy reforms in Uzbekistan, the Kyrgyz Republic, and Tajikistan in the context of sustainable agricultural development. Analyzing the trends in the agricultural sector during the transition period, it identifies the major impacts of policy reforms on food security and enumerates future challenges for improving food security in these countries. It finds that despite the progress made in reforming their economies toward market-oriented ones, the three countries continue to face food insecurity to varying degrees. It concludes that there is an urgent need to further expand and deepen the reform process by enabling functioning land, labor, and financial markets.     

When a Monetary Union Fails: A Parable

The political imperative is an important driving force behind the dissolution of monetary unions. But economic factors are also likely to play an important role. Using a two-country model of government finance in a common currency area, we suggest that when countries are very heterogeneous in terms of financing requirements or in terms of tolerance for inflation, one of them will benefit from achieving monetary independence. The results are contrasted to the breakup of the Austro-Hungarian crown area in the 1920s and especially to that of the ruble area in the 1990s.     

绩效与不足:以民国江西农业院为中心的考察

民国江西农业院在其存在的14年的历史中,大力从事农业科技研究、农业科技推广、农事教育等方面的工作,取得了多方面的成就,在某种程度上促进了江西农村社会的现代化.然而,从总体上来看,尽管民国江西农业院的科技工作者们作出了不懈努力,但农业院的社会和经济绩效都严重不足,最终没有达到复兴农村的目标.这个历史教训是值得我们当代人深思:解决“三农”问题,有赖于科技兴农,也有赖于农村人才的引进与培养,更在于农民本身的参与和一个稳定的社会环境.     

清末民初广州地区的火险联保

清末民初,广州地区出现了一种带有中国地方特色的保险组织形式——火险联保。他们在将近20年的时间里占据了广州主要财产保险市场,不仅可以降低保户所交的保险费,使原本外商拒绝投保的商户得到财产安全保障,同时又能够在外商垄断中国保险市场的情况下挽回一部分利权,客观上促进了民族保险业的发展。     

Energy tourism: An emerging field of study

After conceptualizing the interrelationships between energy and tourism, the authors provide a definition of energy tourism as a new niche of industrial tourism, theorize on how it overlaps with other types of special interest tourism, and discuss specifics concerning its forms, locales, and possible societal impacts. Potential directions, along with research questions, for future research in the field of energy tourism are proposed. Then, the results of an explorative pilot study of energy tourism in the Czech Republic are presented to give a first insight into the proposed questions. Questionnaire surveys completed by tourists and operators of three energy tourism attractions – so-called Coal Safaris (guided tours through surface coal mines, observing minescapes and mining machinery in full operation), a nuclear power plant information centre, and Dragon Kite Festivals under wind turbines – have focused on exploring the motivations and perceived benefits of energy tourism for organizations; tourists' motivations for, and experience from, visiting; and any changes in attitudes towards current energy development dilemmas by visitors afterwards.     

The role and place economy in Plato＇s Republic

In the Republic, education and the economy play very important roles for establishing the ideal city united and ruled by a philosopher, but the significance of the economy is ignored by both philosophers and researchers. In order to achieve his goal, Plato has to answer two questions that how a city is possible and how the ideal city is possible. This paper focuses on how economy factors affect Plato＇s project.     

Sectoral linkages of foreign direct investment firms to the Czech economy

Foreign direct investments (FDI) influence the industrial structure of the host economy through linkages to the domestic economy. Firms may use intermediate goods produced by either domestic or foreign firms, and sell their products to either domestic or foreign customers. The resulting change in the industrial structure of the indigenous economy is analysed in a panel regression for the case of the Czech Republic. The results show that linkages have a strong influence on the sectoral composition of the indigenous economy, supporting the development of indigenous manufacturing and labour-intensive industry.