Immigration policy in South Africa: does it make economic sense?

Current levels of international labour migration are exceptional. Several thousand skilled South Africans leave the country each year. Historically, the country attracted more skilled workers than it lost, from Europe and, more recently, other African countries. But emigration is increasing and immigration is restricted by policy and a range of socio-economic factors. The trends in the ‘brain drain’ from South Africa and its causes and severity are relatively well understood and will be reviewed in this paper. However, the policy response has been slow and confused. The paper highlights some of the economic determinants and effects of South African emigration and immigration and reviews recent changes to South African migration legislation. It asks how South Africa can attract the right kind of skilled immigrants and what more can be done to stem the loss of professionals from the country.     

Convergence crisis: economic crisis and convergence in the European Union

The success of the integration process of the new EU Member States is reflected by the convergence performance. Sustainable convergence assumes that potential growth rates of the less developed countries continuously exceed the dynamics of the potential output of the developed countries. However, the financial and economic crisis of 2008 has resulted in a fundamentally new situation as regards these issues. This paper considers real convergence, catch-up processes and in terms of these the main economic growth trends. The study focuses mainly on the potential growth trends. The recession has, however, affected the individual countries to different degrees. The study classified the Member States into four groups based on the initial circumstances and the vulnerability originating from them; these are ‘Developed’ countries and ‘Convergence’ countries, three groups of the latter are ‘Mediterranean’ countries, ‘Catch-up’ countries and ‘Vulnerable’ countries. Potential growth and the contribution of the individual growth factors might follow significantly different paths in these country groups. The convergence countries might face especially great challenges. Potential growth rate of the ‘Convergence’ countries—according to simulations—is expected to recover less in the mid-term, than that of the ‘Developed’ countries, i.e. convergence slows down, it might come to a halt or even divergence might occur in certain countries. It might result in a ‘Convergence Crisis’ particularly in certain ‘Mediterranean’ and ‘Vulnerable’ new Member States. Also, longer term simulations indicate that the European convergence processes might slow down and stop in certain countries. These trends may have significant effects on economic policies facilitating potential growth. We apply extensive quantitative analysis, production function and growth accounting approaches in the study.     

The Indonesian economic crisis and the long road to recovery

This article provides a concise overview of the origins and impact of the 1997–1998 crisis on the Indonesian economy and the tardy process of recovery since. It is pessimistic about the current prospects for speedy recovery due to the inability of the politically weak governments, which succeeded the highly authoritarian Soeharto regime, to take the necessary steps needed to achieve full economic recovery. The article briefly compares this crisis with the economic crises that hit Indonesia during the early 1930s and mid-1960s, and points to similarities as well as differences.     

外向拉动：国际贸易和国际直接投资对我国经济增长的贡献

国际贸易和国际直接投资促进了中国经济的持续高速增长。本文较为全面地考察了我国和世界上其他一些主要的发展中国家工业化进程中对外贸易依存度和直接投资依存度的变化趋势,分析了我国经济增长中国际贸易和国际直接投资的贡献,提出在新时期要大力发展外向经济、提高直接投资依存度、保持对外贸易依存度的稳定增长,共同促进我国经济的增长对策。     

Human and knowledge capital: A contribution to the empirics of state economic growth

Considerable debate persists over the prospects for regional economic convergence and the nature of economic growth in a sub-national context. Although endogenous growth theories have been invoked to explain persistent regional income gaps and related empirical phenomena, traditional models have yet to be fully discredited. This paper utilizes a more complete specification of a traditional growth model in an effort to better explain variations in regional per capita income and growth levels. The authors' effort involves a panel analysis of U.S. Gross State Product data that enables controlling for variations in underlying production technologies. They focus on the important role of both human and knowledge capital in specifying regional dimensions of productivity and growth. The use of alternative and unique definitions for knowledge capital inputs leads to an improved empirical understanding of the regional growth process.An earlier version of this paper was presented at the North American Meetings of the Regional Science Association International, Montreal, Quebec, Canada, Nov. 11–14, 1999.     

Greening the environment: National and local economic issues

Friends of the Earth (UK), 1989: The Environmental Charter for Local Government. London: Friends of the Earth, no price stated.

Association of Metropolitan Authorities, 1989: Action for the Future - Priorities for the Environment. London: AMA, £10.00.

Local Government Training Board, 1990: The Environmental Role of Local Government. Luton: LGTB, no price stated.

SEEDS (South East Economic Development Strategy), 1990: Green Plan — Interim Report. Stevenage: SEEDS, no price stated.

The Local Authority Associations, 1990: Environmental Practice in Local Government. London: Association of District Councils, £20.00 (£15.00 to local authorities).

Opschoor, J.B. and Vos, H.B. 1989: Economic Instruments for Environmental Protection. Paris: OECD, no price stated.     

Economic crisis and economic policy in the thirties and the seventies

Summary This article studies the causes of the deterioration of the Dutch economy after 1930 and after 1973 and potential remedies. An originally Keynesian model from the Central Planning Bureau is extended with some crucial financial feedbacks. Foreign factors and restrictive policy explain the bulk of unemployment growth in the 1930's; the opposite holds for the 1970's. Optimal control suggests the feasibility of a somewhat less restrictive policy in the 1930's, at the cost of financial targets. Fiscal discipline, combined with a less restrictive monetary policy and wage restraint in the 1970's would have improved the initial conditions for the 1980's.We gratefully acknowledge the able assistance of L.H. van der Meiden and J.J. Graafland, also of Erasmus University. Professor S.K. Kuipers and two anonymous referees provided useful comments on an earlier version.     

陈平：金融危机与欧美经济模式

陈平认为：此次金融危机是西方社会高消费、高负债,产业高度垄断等问题的集中爆发。对于陈平教授的观点,有人有不同意见,认为这是“一家之言”。但至少,他的观点会引发大家的思考     

The world economic crisis and the children: A United States case study

This is a review of the United States experience with issues of child health and services, as they relate to changes in economic trends. No existing data systems are entirely adequate for reporting on the current health status of children, an important consideration for the monitoring of children's health in the United States is the focus on subgroups such as those who are disadvantaged for reasons of poverty, discrimination or geographic isolation. Ample evidence exists that children living in poverty suffer adverse health consequences and that the proportion of children living in poverty in the United States has increased steadily since 1975 and dramatically since 1981. Most measures of health status and health risks for children show steady improvements througout the 1970s. The exercise of public responsibility for financing and providing essential services and supports held constant or improved during this recession period, especially during the recession of 1974–1975. The health status and risks for children since 1981 appear to be adversely affected which must be attributed to a combination of circumstances that include serious recession, increased poverty rates for households with children and diminished health benefits and social support services. These findings suggest that when either local or widespread economic reversals are anticipated, health services and social supports for children need to be expanded rather than contracted.     

A comparison of the contribution and relative performance of agriculture in Southern Africa

This paper analyses the contribution and relative performance of agriculture on the Southern African subcontinent. Agriculture and the total economy, sectoral division of agricultural production and trends in agriculture and food production are discussed. From the analysis it is obvious that the developed commercial agricultural sector of South Africa is the dominant force in the subcontinent's agriculture. This sector is, however, at present hampered by various socio‐economic and financial problems. The paper concludes with certain policy recommendations regarding developing traditional agriculture. Potential co‐operation and interaction are also commented upon.     

Economic reform: Political environment and the efficacy of economic conditionalities

This paper presents a public choice model that consists of a special interest group that benefits from distortionary economic policies, the general public who suffers from such policies, and a government that implements these policies. The paper examines how these actors respond to externally imposed conditions that force the government either to implement economic reforms or face the loss of outside assistance. Depending on the domestic political environment, the imposition of economic conditionalities may prove effective, unnecessary, or even counterproductive.     

The global economic crisis and the impact on children in Sri Lanka

By the 1970s, Sri Lanka had already achieved a high level of mass well-being, literacy and labour force skills, making it possible to mount a massive investment programme in the late 1970s. Measures taken in 1977 to open the economy emphasized foreign investment and expansion of production, export promotion and employment. Because structures and levels of outlays on essential social welfare were maintained and external resource flows increased, Sri Lanka's economic and health indicators over the 1970s show on balance an improvement in living conditions although pockets of disadvantaged households exist.     

广州港在危机中实现平稳快速增长

广州港是国内继上海、深圳港之后的第三个集装箱吞吐量突破1000万TEU的大港,广州港集装箱运输从支线港全面提升到干线枢纽港。2008年集装箱吞吐量将超过1100万TEU。     

The economic crisis in Southern Africa: Some perspectives on its origins and nature

The crisis of development in most of Southern Africa has come to be regarded as an inevitable outcome of the failure of post‐independence development policy in those countries. That policy failure eventually led to the need for policy reform, which emerged most dominantly in the form of structural adjustment programmes. This article, which is a comparative analytical review, examines the origins and nature of the economic crisis in Southern Africa and the policy framework giving rise to it, drawing on country examples to illuminate and illustrate the analytical perspective.     

The contribution of social accounting matrices to economic enquiry in South Africa: A review∗

In 1986 the first social accounting matrix (SAM) for South Africa was published. Subsequent publications are reviewed in which this SAM was used in the exploration of economic structure and policies, particularly as these relate to income and expenditure patterns and distribution. The rapidly expanding international literature on the subject of SAMs is considered. Potential further applications and the requirements for drawing up a revised and updated SAM for South Africa are investigated.     

The recent worldwide economic crisis and the welfare of children: The case of Cuba

As a consequence of the deeply interdependent nature of today's world, Cuba has been affected by the world recession and by the critical roles of international trade and finance. However, the Cuban government has maintained a constant commitment to the protection of the poor and the children through increasing allocations of resources to education and health and through the promotion of increased levels of popular participation. This paper describes the improvements in the areas of nutrition, health and education and the persistent problems in the area of housing. It shows that the improvements observed have reached the majority of the population, eliminating great disparities.     

Brazilian children and the economic crisis: Evidence from the State of São Paulo

This paper briefly reviews the socio-economic conditions and the situation of children in Brazil during 1960–1980, drawing on data for the country as a whole and concentrating on the policies of the 1964–1973 years. It also examines more recent developments that led to the current crisis as well as its overall social impact on employment, food consumption and prices, and government social expenditures. The possible effects of the crisis on the welfare of children in the State of São Paulo are examined in detail. Finally, the paper reviews the government policy for protecting the poor and vulnerable in general and children in particular.     

The triad in crisis: What we learned and how it will change global cooperation

This paper reviews the propagation of the 2008–2009 financial crisis through China, Japan and the United States (the “triad”) and analyzes the responses of these countries from the viewpoints of achieving recovery and returning to a growth path that will be free of the imbalances that limit long-term sustainability. For a variety of reasons, the triad countries are both key protagonists in the crisis, and central agents in the recovery from it. Greater cooperation among them will be important to ensure that the recovery that emerges leads to a sustainable growth path. Their actions are important also because they can have great influence on the responses of other countries. The paper concludes with an overview of areas in which cooperation is especially desirable.