China＇s Energy Strategy in the Twenty-first Century

I. Introduction As the biggest developing country, China’s energy consumption has increased substantially. China is now the second largest energy consumer in the world and its primary energy consumption accounts for 13.6 percent of the world total. In the global energy market, China seems to have an endless appetite for oil and gas. China depends on imports for more than 40 percent of its oil. According to an estimation by British Petroleum (BP, 2005), from 2000–2004, China’s oil consum…     

“Miracle Growth” in the Twentieth Century––International Comparisons of East Asian Development

Using Maddison’s data, we compare levels and growth rates of real GDP per capita between Korea and Taiwan, along with Japan, and 53 other countries in the world, covering the prewar and postwar periods (1901–92). Both countries, along with Japan, experienced very rapid growth in both periods, especially Korea, whose growth rates ranked third or fourth in the prewar period. After WWII, however, Korea fell steadily below Taiwan, and both fell continuously behind Japan until 1970 when they simultaneously began to catch up. Finally, using Perron’s test, we analyze structural changes or continuity between the two periods. Both domestic and international economic conditions are examined to explain the findings.     

Opportunities and Policy Suggestions for the Sustainable Development of Chinese Agriculture in 21^st Century

After China entry into WTO, agriculture of our country faces rare opportunity and severe challenge, This paper analyzes five kinds of new opportunities that agriculture of our country will meet from the new century in the angle of prominent problems during developing agriculture and puts forward the counter measure choice and policy suggestion that propel agriculture of our country to develop sustainable.     

A New Pension Settlement for the Twenty-First Century? The UK Pensions Commission's Analysis and Proposals

This article summarizes the analysis and recommendations ofthe UK Pensions Commission, which reported in November 2005.The UK faces similar demographic challenges to other nationsfrom increasing longevity and past fertility declines. However,in the face of them, both state and private pension provisionare in decline for younger cohorts. The Commission proposesreforms to the state pension system which would make it moregenerous, less means-tested, and more universal than it wouldotherwise become. This would require both higher public spendingon pensions as a share of GDP than now, and a gradual increasein state pension age after 2020. It also proposes establishmentof a new National Pension Savings Scheme, into which workerswould be automatically enrolled (with the right to opt out)if they were outside good employer provision, together withmeasures to facilitate later and more flexible retirement. Footnotes ¹ E-mail address: j.hills{at}lse.ac.uk     

Comments on “Black Americans in the 21st Century: Should We Be Optimistic or Concerned?”

In “Black Americans in the 21st Century: Should we be Optimistic or Concerned?”, Dr. Angel Harris discusses a number of facts about the myriad gaps in performance between black Americans and white Americans. In what follows, I present evidence that suggests that a combination of race-conscious policies and early-childhood investments should be included in any policy that seeks to reduce the gaps in performance between black Americans and white Americans.     

“Cautiously Optimistic” Comments on “Black Americans in the 21st Century: Should we be Optimistic or Concerned?”

This is a commentary on Angel Harris’ examination of the current state and challenges facing the black community. Harris provides a comprehensive overview of the socio-economic status of the black Americans and questions America’s ability to achieve the American “creed of opportunity”. My response to Harris’ question, “Should we be pessimistic or optimistic”, is that I am cautiously optimistic. My optimism is rooted in postsecondary progress of black despite challenges to affirmative action and the lingering test score gap between blacks and whites. However, I am “cautious” about the willingness of policy makers to use “race targeted” or “wealth-based-tested” programs to arrest practices which hinder employment, income and wealth opportunity.