Defence and development: Some thematic issues

Armed forces are, in many developing countries, configured for very restricted and traditional roles. Often their considerable organisational capabilities and human resource expertise are not fully harnessed to the broader developmental objectives of the country concerned. The capabilities of armed forces and their considerable resources can, potentially, be utilised in a much wider arena than simply in the role of territorial defence. Numerous pros and cons can be attached to this expanded deployment of the armed forces and such deployment is critically dependent on the peculiarities of the country, as reflected in its political culture and its history. It is argued in this article that the collateral utility of the South African National Defence Force is far wider than that which present government policy permits. The effective utilisation of this capability, however, will depend on a high level of political will within government to do so, the revision of existing government policy in this regard, and the effective coordination of these expanded defence efforts within a broader human security policy.     

Local economic development in Ghana: From the ‘lost decades’ to a policy ‘maturing’ stage

Analysis and studies of local economic development (LED) tend to be under the rubric of case studies to the neglect of their historical context and the role of international development agencies. This article attempts to fill this gap by focusing on the experiences of Ghana. Adopting a systematic review of the policy documents and existing literature, it was found that, despite its significance, LED was not the priority of the governments of pre and post immediate independence era. In the fourth republic of Ghana, LED gained prominence in the various policy documents but this appears to be rhetoric and camouflage because they have not seen real implementation. However, international development agencies have played a significant role in initiating, funding and implementing specific LED activities in the various districts in Ghana. Overall, LED in Ghana has crawled from the ‘lost decades’ to a policy ‘maturing stage’.     

环渤海经济圈区域经济一体化发展的优势与对策探析

环渤海经济圈地理位置优越,经济基础雄厚,但本区域发展仍然面临一些问题,有必要从国家、当地政府以及地方企业角度研究环渤海地区发展新战略。国家从宏观调控方面做好基础设施、区域产业结构以及核心城市的规划。地方政府转变地方政府职能,制定并完善区域经济的政策,加强区域间的协调合作。企业要提高自身竞争力,加强本地区中小企业之间的合作;提高产品附加值;加快吸引外资,促进产业优化升级。     

Indonesia's Debt-for-Development Swaps: Past,Present, and Future

This article systematically reviews recent debt-for-development swaps in Indonesia, the only debtor country where the number of such swaps warrants their being considered as a deliberate government debt-relief policy and development finance strategy. We show that the 11 swaps Indonesia has signed with its bilateral creditors since 2002 have performed rather erratically across four criteria: an increase in resources at the debtor country or government budget level or both; an increase in resources for intended sector purposes; whether, taken together, these swaps ease debt burdens; and the extent of their alignment with government policy and systems. We find little evidence of learning on the Indonesian side. We believe that Indonesia can take a more proactive stance in negotiating the economic terms underlying its debt swaps, and we suggest concrete ways for it to do so.     

Tourism and local economic development: The case of the Highlands Meander

Local economic development (LED) planning is of major policy importance in post-apartheid South Africa. Although issues surrounding LED have attracted considerable policy attention, one neglected theme has been the role of tourism as a lead sector for LED. The aim of this article is to examine the planning and workings of one tourism-led LED initiative in South Africa. The case study is that of the Highlands Meander in Mpumalanga province, where five towns are collaborating in their LED initiatives in order to promote the area's tourism products. A key finding is that this growing tourism initiative is currently not benefiting local black communities. Recommendations are offered for developing a pro-poor tourism initiative.     

政府绩效审计的重点和难点

在我国绩效审计的理论研究和实践都还处在起步阶段,政府绩效审计是现阶段我国绩效审计实践的重点。本文结合国际上关于政府绩效审计的概念,提出了我国政府绩效审计的定义,在此基础上对政府绩效审计的内容进行了探讨,并分析了当前我国政府绩效审计的重点和难点。同时,针对我国政府绩效审计实践的现状,提出了关于开展政府绩效审计工作的几点考虑。     

国外政府支持自主创新的经验及其启示

本文在分析市场经济发达国家支持自主创新的做法基础上，研究提出借鉴国外政府促进科技进步与创新先进经验的启示，以及我国政府支持自主创新的若干政策建议。     

改革开放以来我国乡镇企业的发展历程和展望

乡镇企业是在我国农村特殊历史条件下产生的新的经济组织形式,是我国农村商品经济的一个核心力量,在改革开放三十年以来,乡镇企业以其独特的发展道路和顽强的生命力,对我国的经济发展做出了重大的贡献。本文介绍了从改革开放至今,我国乡镇企业的发展历程和当前面临的问题,并提出系列可持续发展的战略,对未来的发展趋势进行展望。     

不同国家债务对经济运行的影响

债务尤其是政府债务越来越受到关注,对政府债务的经济影响争论犹存。每个国家的经济基础与国民财富状况各异,从而其政府债务对经济的影响也不尽相同。文章通过对发展中国家如中国的情况进行实证分析,与发达国家如美国和贫穷国家如非洲的情况相比较,来阐述政府债务对不同发展阶段的经济体所产生的影响。     

日、德融资模式比较及其中国融资模式的选择

美国金融危机使得人们必须重新审视融资模式,而前人对此的研究文献重点放在两种融资模式的比较上,其实更应该研究与我国融资模式相似的日本和德国的融资模式。本文通过比较日德融资模式在融资市场全面发展程度、间接融资市场和直接融资市场的联系程度以及政府政策导向的差异,解释了20世纪90年代以来日本和德国经济表现的差异,对我国融资模式的选择提出一些建议。     

浅议孙中山建国思想的结构与层次

孙中山的建国思想可分为四个层面——主权归属、政府体制、公共政策与政治发展道路。主权归属涉及国家权力的合法性来源问题;政府体制涉及国家权力的划分、监督与制衡;公共政策是一种典型的国家主导型政策取向;政治发展道路,是著名的"三阶段建国论"它既是孙先生的独创,又明显带有后发国家普遍具有的发展共性。     

Crisis in regional economic cooperation (integration) among developing countries: A survey

The article analyses the meaning, theory and key policy instruments of economic integration among LDCs and reviews the experience of various regional cooperation efforts in the Third World.It starts from the basic premise that economic integration is not an end in itself nor are its outcomes value-free; rather its social legitimacy depends on the socio-economic and political interests which are served by regional cooperation. Power commanding local hegemonic groups as well as foreign economic and political actors (governments and the transnational enterprises) play a determining role in the orientation, content and performance of regional cooperation.The article also explores the implications for integration of certain structural economic characteristics of LDCs involving key production, technological, trade and distributional considerations. They are interpreted as calling for regional cooperation mechanisms which are non-wholistic in the sense that they are directed towards the fulfilment of specific objectives, activities and tasks which require (a) programmed yet not comprehensive harmonization policies, (b) a subordination of trade to a planned and significant expansion of economic activities in new fields, and (c) the pursuit of certain outcomes whose values are not adequately reflected by the market system and whose inducement requires more explicit government intervention.Finally the article argues that since regional cooperation is by its nature conflict-prone and subject to strong polarization forces, and since, furthermore, the above-raised considerations call for a significant role to be played by the member countries' governments, the viability of the process is subject to a continuous commitment and manifestation of political support.     

我国人口状况变化及政策应对

一个国家人口政策制定的好坏对其经济和社会发展有着极其重要的影响。特别是在当今中国这个快速发展中的国家,其人口政策的制定更应该引起政府的高度重视。本文试从婚育年龄、就业、老龄化、教育和人口流动等几个方面入手,着重分析其近年变化对政府制定人口政策的影响。     

我国地方政府债务问题分析

自金融危机爆发以来,我国实行宽松的货币政策和财政政策,使地方政府融资规模迅速扩大。当前,我国地方政府债务的总体规模已相当庞大,而且呈现不断膨胀的态势,成为宏观经济运行中的一个突出问题。地方政府债务形成的原因是多方面的,它严重影响了我国经济的可持续发展,甚至威胁到我国经济安全和社会稳定。因此,必须采取有效的措施来控制地方政府债务风险,从短期看可通过资产证券化和引进民间资本等方式拓宽融资渠道来缓解地方政府债务风险问题;从长期看则必须从体制入手,理顺中央政府与地方政府的关系,建立事权财权相匹配的财政制度;完善人大监督体系,规范地方政府行为;完善政绩考核机制,遏制地方政府投资冲动等。     

Scenario forecasting as an agricultural strategy development instrument

Methodological considerations that appeared in the previous issue of this journal are specified. The logic of socioeconomic threat formation is presented under an inertial scenario of agricultural development. The interdependence between improving the competitiveness of agricultural production, rural socioeconomic development, and nature management rationalization, which necessitates the elaboration of a comprehensive government policy, is demonstrated. A system of prognostic-analytical calculations is described; estimates are obtained to indicate a significant potential for increasing meat and dairy production and, hence, the strategic importance of the policy to improve the competitiveness of the Russian livestock industry. These findings may serve as the case for early development of a foundation for an agricultural and food policy, which is pertinent to the situation of approaching the “natural ceiling” of agricultural growth targeted at the domestic market.     

鼓励技术创新的税收政策研究

税收政策作为一种宏观调控工具,政府如何采用税收手段鼓励技术创新对于一国经济的发展具有重要意义。本文首先分析税收政策在鼓励技术创新中作用以及我国现行税收政策存在的问题;然后从完善税收法律体系、调整税收优惠政策和深化税制改革三个方面提出我国鼓励技术创新的税收政策设想。     

法人治理下事业单位的投资与补偿机制研究

改革开放30年来,我国事业单位的体制改革取得了相当的成就,不同性质的事业单位由于它公益性质和与市场结合程度的不同,各级政府逐渐采取了不同的财政政策,但笔者认为我国目前的事业单位普遍存在组织法人地位不足问题,本文从我国的国情出发,对法人治理下事业单位的投资与补偿机制作进一步大胆的探索。     

Racial dilemmas in Malaysia: A message for South African development

The article addresses aspects of Malaysia's development. The economic policies of the Malaysian government have been influenced significantly by political, economic and cultural factors resulting from the racial composition of the country. The government which is effectively controlled by the Malays, as distinct from the large Chinese and Indian communities, has tried since independence from the United Kingdom in 1957 to satisfy the aspirations of different racial and cultural groups. The policies implemented for over thirty years, including racial power‐sharing, and the problems that have been encountered, may offer valuable insights and lessons for the framers of economic development policy in South Africa. The experience of Malaysia demonstrates the immense difficulty of reconciling the conflicting claims of different racial groups and the effects that particular policies may have on development     

论我国农村保险的现状与发展对策

本文分析了我国农村保险的现状，探讨了目前我国农村保险发展中存在的主要问题，指出农村保险服务质量低和农民保险意识低是制约我国农村保险发展的主要因素。而落后的农村保险难以发挥必要的保障作用．对于我国农业乃至国民经济发展十分不利。并进而提出应从加快农村保险立法、加大政策扶持力度、提高农民保险意识等几方面着手加快农村保险的发展。     

促进中部崛起的财政政策选择

改革开放以来,我国相继实施了东部开放和西部大开发战略,而中部地区却一直没能成为国家发展的重点扶持对象,加上政府在财税政策制定上出现偏差,致使中部地区经济发展相对迟缓。改革和完善现行的某些财政政策,制定有利于中部发展的财税政策,是促进中部崛起的必要条件。