Urban population in late medieval England: the evidence of the lay subsidies

Was there a growth in the proportion of the population living in England's towns in the later middle ages? Uncertainty about national population trends and about the taxation multipliers needed to arrive at population totals has made it difficult to answer this question. A direct comparison of the proportion of taxpayers that was urban in 1377 and 1524 suggests that the urban share of population was static or may even have declined in this period. However, such decline provides no simple index of urban prosperity or decay: a decline in urbanization could be the product of rural buoyancy rather than of urban recession.     

The expansion of the south‐western fisheries in late medieval England

This article argues that the expansion of marine fishing in south‐western England from the late fourteenth century to the early sixteenth was part of the maritime sector's critical, but unappreciated, contribution to the rising prosperity of the region. Revenues from fishing represented a substantial supplement to the income of the fisher‐farmers who dominated the industry; promoted employment in ancillary industries such as fish curing; improved the seasonal distribution of maritime work; and stimulated capital investment in ships, nets, and other equipment because of the share system that characterized the division of profits within fishing enterprises. In offering what was probably the chief source of employment within the maritime sector, fishing also provided the ‘nursery of seamen’ so prized by the Tudor navy, and built the navigational experience that underpinned later voyages of exploration.     

Participation of blacks and immigrants in the American Merchant class, 1890–1910: Some demographic relations

During the late 19th and early 20th centuries many persons of minority ethnic status perceived that business enterprise offered an important opportunity for joining the mainstream of American economic life. To become a merchant was to acquire a measure of personal independence and a chance for higher rewards than those earned by industrial employees. To establish a business required the assumption of substantial risk, for the rate of failure among incipient enterprises was always great. Many would willingly bear the risk. But how many could survive, and where was the probability of success highest? The answers depended in part on the demographic features of the markets they undertook to serve.This article seeks, through an analysis of quantitative evidence, to answer some questions about the relation between demographic patterns and the extent of participation in retail merchandizing. Did urbanization promote such participation? Was the North or the South more stimulating to the merchant class? To what extent did participation in merchandizing differ among blacks, immigrants, and native whites? By employing quantitative evidence and multiple regression analysis, this paper offers more precise answers than traditional methods of historical inquiry would permit. But at the same time it raises questions that can only be answered by more traditional methods of study.     

A new look at ideals and practices of filial piety: The case of exemplary filial persons

The definition of filial piety has become a public issue in Korea because of the significant impact filial piety has on the welfare of the elderly as on the morality of the young. The study explored how filial piety is practiced in Korea. Compiled from three national institutions awarding filial piety prizes in Korea, stories about Korean adults who had exemplified filial piety during the recent two decades are analyzed using the content analysis method. As a resulf of this analysis, a set of eleven indicators of filial piety emerged, including respect for parents, filial sacrifice, etc. The fundamental value of filial piety is still under preservation even while its manifestation is changing in modem times. These indicators will be useful in understanding the concept of filial piety and constructing a measure that might be used to assess caring relationships between adult children and elderly parents.     

Plantation accounting and management practices in the US and the British West Indies at the end of their slavery eras1

This article examines comparatively the slavery systems of the US and the British West Indies before and after their respective emancipations. The primary focus is on how differential factors in the two plantation economies, such as racial control, labour structures, and governmental mandates, impacted the development of accounting and those performing accounting functions. Other factors, such as plantation size and ownership structure, not only influenced accounting practices but management issues as well. These factors resulted in the substantially greater development of accounting in the British Caribbean, both in terms of the number of practitioners and the volume and uniformity of accounting records.     

Regional Development Agencies and Cluster Strategies: Engaging the Knowledge-base in the North of England

The Government's White Paper on Enterprise, Skills and Innovation (DTI and DfEE, 2001) requires Regional Development Agencies to develop their cluster strategies further, to include partnerships involving higher education. This paper examines these policy intentions in relation to northern England, and incorporates the results of in-depth interviews with policy-makers from RDAs, DTI, DfES and northern Government Offices. Early cluster development has evidently been influenced by existing sector development strategies and the need for inclusivity in regional partnerships. Clusters have been defined broadly, but engagement with universities has required greater focus on specific regional expertise. The authors question the merit of pursuing specialised clusters in isolation at a regional scale; more effective engagement at inter-regional level is suggested for developing effective cluster strategies.     

Rules and reality: quantifying the practice of apprenticeship in early modern England1

This article uses recently digitized samples of apprentices and masters in London and Bristol to quantify the practice of apprenticeship in the late seventeenth century. Apprenticeship appears much more fluid than is traditionally understood. Many apprentices did not complete their terms of indenture; late arrival and early departure from the master's household were widespread. Other apprentices appear to have been absent temporarily, returning to the master shortly before the end of their indenture. Regression analysis indicates that the patterns of presence and absence broadly reflect the resources and external opportunities available to apprentices.     

未雨绸缪而任重道远——加入世贸“后过渡期”深圳可能面对的冲击和机遇

实践已经证明，加入世界贸易组织是我国坚持对外开放，在更高层次上积极参与经济全球化进程的正确选择。加入世界贸易组织3年来，我们已经取得了巨大的成绩：