Rural tax reform and the extractive capacity of local state in China

China's fiscal arrangement in the 1980s has preserved local governments' incentive but the 1994 fiscal reform recentralized revenues. Since then, farmers' tax burdens have risen steeply and become a major challenge to the state legitimacy. How to account for the huge regional variation? Why were some localities able to tax more heavily than others? Based on a national survey of village governance in China, we examine farmers' burdens empirically and identify political and social factors that explain the local governments' ability to tax farmers. This paper suggests that developments since the 1990s have shown that it overstates local discretionary power and does not pay enough attention to societal forces in understanding local public finance.     

District Assemblies in a fix: the perils of the politics of capacity in the political and administrative reforms in Malawi

This article appraises the prospects of District Assemblies institutionalising local governance structures and processes that are responsive, democratic and capable of improving the livelihoods of the poor. District Assemblies have been established against the backdrop of a radically reconstituted policy, governance and administrative framework following the transition from one-party rule to multiparty democracy in Malawi in May 1994. The underlying argument of this paper is that the potential success of the District Assemblies is effectively hampered by widespread self-seeking tendencies and orientations among various stakeholders in grassroots development, strategically veiled as lack of capacity on the part of the decentralised planning framework. Unless these seemingly idiosyncratic tendencies are subordinated to the underlying noble cause of the decentralisation policy and institutional reforms, the trinity of good governance, development and poverty reduction in the evolving structures and processes of local government will remain a virtually unattainable ideal.     

关键审计事项与管理层讨论与分析增量信息披露——基于MD&A文本相似度的研究

研究基于2017-2020年我国沪深两市A股上市公司的样本,采用文本分析的方法,考察关键审计事项对管理层讨论与分析增量信息披露的影响。研究结果表明,关键审计事项披露增进了企业管理层讨论与分析(MD&A)的信息含量。进一步研究发现,在非国有企业、分析师跟踪较少的企业以及审计质量较低的企业中,关键审计事项披露对MD&A信息含量的提升作用更为显著。此研究基于增量信息的视角探讨关键审计事项对企业管理层的监督与治理效应,具有重要的理论和现实意义。     

How Has Rural Tax Reform Affected Farmers and Local Governance in China？

Using nationally representative data, the present paper examines the impact of China's ongoing rural tax reform on farmers. The difficulties in further local governance restructuring are also discussed. It is argued that the issues associated with rural taxation and local governance in China result from inherent tension between an increasingly liberalized economic system and a still centralized political system. Although rural tax reform has helped to reduce farmers' tax burdens in the short term, the establishment of an effective local governance regime requires coordinated reforms to downsize local bureaucracy by providing social security for laid-off cadres, to strengthen local accountability by granting higher local formal tax autonomy, and to promote meaningful participation by expanding local democracy.     

Participating in partnership: Business leaders and economic regeneration in Sheffield

In the context of changing relations between the state, business, and urban policy, this article focuses on the role of business participation in the regeneration of Sheffield. It assesses whether Sheffield's business leaders have been able to establish a distinctive business-orientated development agenda in Sheffield's regeneration coalition, and considers the extent to which business participation in urban affairs has been influenced by the restructuring of the local state by central government. A further aim of the paper is to explore the relevance of urban regime theory in interpreting the role of local business leaders in urban governance.     

Perspective on Local Governance Reform in China

I. Introduction The difficulty of improving local governance in contemporary China has recently aroused a great deal of attention from both academics and policy-makers. Among the many issues needing to be addressed, inefficiency in the work of local administrative agencies andshortcomings in the delivery of public services rank as the most significant. Many Chinese farmers, especially those in less developed regions, have been plagued by excessive tax burdens, insecure land property rights an…     

微观治理、地区环境与控股股东的掏空行为

本文讨论了区域环境影响下的企业微观层面的治理对控股股东侵占行为的制约作用。研究发现：企业微观层面的治理和区域环境都能够制约控股股东的侵占行为,但是企业微观治理的制约效应在环境较差的地区显著变弱。本文的建议是,要提高上市公司质量,保护中小投资者,必须首先完善上市公司面临的环境。     

Public–private partnerships in metropolitan government: perspectives on governance,value for money and the roles of selected stakeholders

This paper discusses the nature of public–private partnerships (PPPs) and their governance, with specific reference to the types of risks involved and how these are managed. The paper investigates whether there is any regime responsible for providing resources and enforcing contracts and service standards to make metropolitan governments efficient, effective and economical in designing, managing and exercising control over PPP ventures. In this context, the roles of selected stakeholders are discussed. The basic assumption of this paper is that metropolitan government could improve local economic growth through PPPs when the nature and governance of PPPs and the legalities underpinning them are thoroughly understood.     

我国地方政府融资的动因、存在的问题及对策

本文以地方政府治理及经济增长相关理论为基础,分析了地方政府融资的成因及存在的问题,并做出了相应的结论,提出了政策建议。本文认为:由于财政分权改革导致地方政府事权与财权不相匹配,使得地方各级政府的财源不能满足现时地方发展的需求;而目前的经济增长模式和中央对地方政府考核以及官员晋升激励模式,使得各级地方政府盲目追求投资效应,导致巨额财政赤字。此外,地方政府融资渠道狭窄,缺乏专门政策性金融机构为依托,导致地方各级政府融资偏离财政监督,宏观调控艰难;地方政府融投资平台开始泛滥,监管体系不健全,导致目前地方政府债务失控;地方政府信息披露机制尚未建立,地方政府信用评估体系也未建立,地方政府融投资信息不透明,使得地方政府的融资风险也难以宏观调控。     

Process Approaches to Development: Theory and Sri Lankan Practice

Calls for “process projects” in the 1980s led to the development of a body of knowledge about process approaches and the implementation of innovative programs and projects. During the 1990s the focus has moved on to the narrower subject of beneficiary participation and much potential learning about how to promote development is being lost. This paper reviews the notion of process approaches and produces a conceptual framework that synthesizes these ideas. It then uses this framework to analyze 12 years of experience of a NORAD-financed IRDP in Sri Lanka. The findings point to the continued relevance of deepening the theory and practice of process approaches in development.     

境外开发区治理模式发展历程及对我国的启示

我国开发区建设经过多年发展已进入二次创业的关键阶段。本文基于国外开发区公共治理模式的演进历程分析,揭示了发达国家与地区开发区给我国带来的启示;阐述了我国开发区治理模式的现状及演变趋势,并提出了探索新形势下我国开发区治理模式的对策建议。     

Chieftaincy and democratic local governance in rural South Africa: Natural resources management in QwaQwa

This paper examines the changing role of chieftaincy in relation to democratic institutions of local governance in QwaQwa in the Eastern Free State and in particular the implications for the management of natural resources. Referring to a case study of grass usage, the paper identifies the shift from chieftaincy to democratic local governance as one of the factors that have undermined the chiefs' control over the use of natural resources, as infrastructural development takes precedence over management of natural resources in municipal planning and service delivery. The ensuing absence of control over the use of grass broadly reflects the unclear institutional framework for natural resources management on communal land in rural South Africa. However, despite the power struggle that generally goes on between chiefs and elected councillors of QwaQwa, there is potential for building on areas of common interest to improve natural resources management in the area.     

旅游外宣文本的翻译策略--以汉中市为例

旅游文本翻译是外宣翻译的重要组成部分,也是旅游文化对外宣传的重要途径。本文以汉中旅游外宣文本的英译为重点,以生态翻译适应选择论为理论依据,从语言、文化和交流等多角度分析和研究汉中市旅游宣传的翻译策略,强调地方文化旅游资源对外宣传的重要性。     

Can inflation targeting regimes be effective in developing countries? The Turkish experience

This paper examines the performance of Turkey's inflation targeting (IT) experience. We find the IT regime to be an effective framework. Our judgment is based on three broad conclusions supported by empirical analyses. First, fiscal stability is an effective tool for a successful monetary policy. Second, the overnight policy of the Central Bank of Turkey rate is a significant determinant of the changes in market lending rates, which is the preliminary step in the monetary transmission mechanism. Third, recent developments on the broader issue of the effectiveness of interest rate policy in controlling inflation through aggregate demand management and through other channels are encouraging. Based on our findings, we argue that the impact of policy rate changes on economic activity and inflation have become more predictable and changed in the direction in line with theory, improving the transmission capacity of monetary policy.     

可持续发展治理:概念、分析框架和模式

可持续发展是我国的发展目标之一,也是我国政府、学者、产业界关注的焦点之一。然而如何才能实现可持续发展呢?这需要进行科学的可持续发展治理。本文将对此进行初步探究。本文在介绍国际最新有关可持续发展治理的概念和理论,并分析欧盟、经济合作组织等国际组织可持续发展治理的研究和分析框架的基础上,提出我国的可持续发展治理模式,促进我国的可持续发展。     

基于CAS理论的旅游产业与生态环境互动研究——以广西河池为例

运用复杂适应系统理论（CAS理论），尝试构建“旅游产业-生态环境”的协调互动发展框架，并以广西河池为研究对象，探究当地旅游产业发展与生态环境优化的历程、成效、问题及提升策略。研究认为，旅游产业方面应不断完善产业结构，拓展产业功能，实现产业提质增效；生态环境方面要拓展治理维度，提高治理效率，持续巩固旅游产业的基础。并在互动过程中应注意多方力量的介入和协调，积极引导旅游产业与生态环境的良性互动发展。     

The dynamics of outsourcing: From labor cost‐saving to preference‐based outsourcing

Jones's (2000) celebrated book has inspired a generation of work devoted to understanding the causes and consequences of outsourcing. While much of this work has focused on the outsourcing versus domestic production decision of the firm, with labor cost‐saving as the key driver for outsourcing, we further explore how preference‐based outsourcing may arise in a dynamic world equilibrium. We address this problem in a North–South model in which the outsourcing decision depends not only on labor costs but also on information about local preferences that arise with outsourcing. As the South develops, demand for manufactured goods becomes more important, so identifying specific tastes of Southern consumers matters more. As a result, preference‐based outsourcing displaces cost‐saving outsourcing. Our quantitative analysis indicates that, as both agricultural and manufacturing technologies grow over time, the dynamic world equilibrium switches from the export regime to the cost‐saving outsourcing regime, and eventually to the preference‐based outsourcing regime.     

Voting Behaviour in the European Parliament and Economic Governance Reform: Does Nationality Matter?

This paper analyses MEPs’ voting behaviour on all regulations and directives forming the Six-Pack and the Two-Pack together with the key vote required to establish the European Stability Mechanism (ESM). Whereas scholarly work has traditionally showed MEPs voting behaviour to be primarily driven by ideology (more specifically, by the MEP’s party group affiliation), we expect to find MEPs’ national origins to play a counterbalancing role and – at least partially – weaken intra-party position on key economic governance matters, where a conflict of interest might exist between creditor and debtor member countries. Findings confirm that national interests and country-level economic variables can predict MEPs’ votes in a considerable number of cases, opening new avenues for future research on territorial cleavages in the European Parliament.     

A Roadmap for Policy Dialogue and Economic Surveillance in East Asia

I. IntroductionOn 4th May, 2005, the Association of Southeast Asian Nations, China, Japan and Korea(ASEAN+3) decided to take a significant step toward financial cooperation in East Asia.The Finance Ministers of the 13 ASEAN+3 countries agreed to strengthen the Chiang MaiInitiative (CMI) into a more effective and disciplined framework by: (1) integrating the CMIwith an enhanced economic surveillance process for the ASEAN+3 countries; (2) adoptinga collective activation and decisio…     

The next paradigm shift in China and India?

China and India were relatively unscathed by the global financial and economic crisis: after a brief downturn, stellar economic growth is back on track. New global and regional economic and political orders are also emerging in the post‐crisis period with both nations playing a prominent role. There is heightened attention being given to the nature of their development paradigm and related matters such as governance. This paper begins with a brief introduction to the subject. Second, China and India's paradigms for development progress are outlined. Third, the key current and emerging risks and challenges facing these nations are discussed. Fourth, their respective fault lines are exposed. Fifth, some final thoughts are offered on the possible shape of the next development paradigm shift. I conclude by suggesting that the next paradigm shift in China and India will likely successfully tackle some of the unresolved developmental problems that these nations face.