Taxation,fiscal capacity,and credible commitment in eighteenth-century China: the effects of the formalization and centralization of informal surtaxes†

This article explores a tax reform in eighteenth-century China that formalized county-level informal surtaxes and centralized control over them in the hands of provincial governors, in an effort to strengthen provincial fiscal capacity. The findings show that this reform increased the frequency of famine relief in cases of exceptional disaster relative to other weather conditions. The study shows that the effects were driven by the new fiscal revenues—public funds—at the governors’ discretion, not by the central government's relief actions, bureaucratic control over lower officials, or other concurrent fiscal reforms. Moreover, the reform facilitated intertemporal smoothing and inter-regional risk sharing. However, the effects declined as soon as the central government broke its promise and began to appropriate provincial fiscal revenues. These findings not only provide evidence that fiscal centralization could enhance the provision of public goods in a premodern context, but also highlight that it was the lack of a credible commitment by the central government to the provincial governments that accounted for the short-lived effects of the reform.     

Search query formation by strategic consumers

Quantitative Marketing and Economics - Submitting queries to search engines has become a major way for consumers to search for information and products. The massive amount of search query data...     

The influence of risk preferences,knowledge, land consolidation,and landscape diversification on pesticide use

Researchers have spent substantial effort to identify factors influencing pesticide use intensity. However, few studies have compared the relative importance of these factors. This study examines four categories of factors that potentially influence farmers’ pesticide use decisions by evaluating incentivized experiment data, farm survey data, and remote sensing data in China. Our results suggest that land diversification has the largest effect on farmers’ pesticide use. Compared with the most rice-intensive landscape type, less rice-intensive systems cause farmers to spray less on middle rice. Heavy pesticide use intensity is associated with land fragmentation as small-scale farms still dominate crop production. Farmers’ integrated pest management knowledge has significant effects on pesticide use. We also find that loss and ambiguity preferences, rather than risk preferences, are more likely to affect pesticide use intensity.     

辣木树不同部位γ-氨基丁酸的HPLC分析

用高效液相色谱法检测了辣木树不同部位γ-氨基丁酸的含量,结果表明:每100 g样品中,辣木果实、叶、果皮、花、根、籽及茎中的GABA含量分别为378.39、275.64、194.15、96.42、69.14、27.32 mg与0.00 mg。由此可见,辣木树中富含GABA,且幼嫩部位含量较高,本研究可为辣木产品的质量评价、开发利用以及辣木树中GABA的合成部位与运输情况研究提供理论参考。     

Excess perks in SOEs: evidence from China

In investigating the relationship between economic directors (EDs) and excess perks in state-owned enterprises (SOEs) in China, we find a U-shaped relationship between the share of EDs on boards and excess perks, especially in SOEs controlled by local governments and with greater managerial power—as well as in regions with poor legal systems. The share of EDs on boards may have three benefits with respect to reducing the use of excess perks in SOEs: (1) replacing excess perks with monetary wages more aligned with the value of managers; (2) reducing the increase in excessive perks caused by the availability of free cash flow; and (3) reducing the use of excess employees to drive excess perks.     

基于西门子PLC除尘器粉尘防爆危险源信号检测及预警系统的研究

研发适用于滤袋式除尘器粉尘爆炸危险源信号的实时检测及预警系统。该系统综合应用工业控制、PLC控制、智能测控终端无线传输、云平台数据管理等技术。采用传感器分别监测除尘器运行时的进出风口压差、除尘器运行状态、高压脉冲喷吹压力和箱体温度。当监测信号不在系统预设的合理范围时,PLC输出就地预警信号,监测信号也可通过无线传输模块上传到云平台。运用云平台的数据分析功能,实现除尘器运行状态系统化监测和综合管理。     

外事之窗

正匈牙利驻重庆总领事馆举办国庆招待会3月22日,匈牙利驻重庆总领事馆在渝举办匈牙利1848—1849年革命及独立战争171周年国庆招待会,重庆市副市长李殿勋出席。李殿勋说,2019年是中匈建交70周年,中匈两国友谊深厚。他表示,期待今年匈牙利作为第二届西洽会主宾国的精彩亮相。希望双方在一带一路建设和中国—中东欧16+1合     

财政支出差异性对创业活动的激励效应分析

经济新常态下,创业是推动中国经济发展、改善民生的重要途径。创业过程的风险性、不确定性及正外部性需要政府给予积极支持。基于2007-2015年中国内地30个省市（除西藏外）数据,运用动态面板模型,考察地区财政支出和创业活动的关系。研究结果表明：财政支出规模对创业活动数量及创业活动质量具有滞后的积极作用;财政支出规模的滞后效应源于财政支出结构的滞后效应,不同财政支出结构对创业活动质量影响的差异较大;同时,创新是提升创业活动质量的重要手段。因此,政府应积极支持“大众创业、万众创新”,各地区财政创业扶持资金应该从规模和结构上进行调整,重点优化有利于创新的支出结构,为创业提供良好的公共环境。     

科技型小微企业创新生态系统网络治理研究

建立一个完整、高效的创新生态系统是破解科技型小微企业创新困境、提高创新效率,以及助力新旧动能转换的有效途径。基于生态系统理论和演化动力学模型,构建科技型小微企业创新生态系统网络框架和网络联结模式,利用竞争、互利共生和捕食关系演化模型,分析演化模型的均衡点及其稳定条件。结果发现,创新生态位重叠程度决定了竞争激烈程度,系统演化均衡条件是主体间分工程度高,且嵌入适度。最后,从价值主体和机构主体两个方面〖JP〗提出推进科技型小微企业创新生态系统不断进化的治理策略。