Reassessing welfare reform data: a response to cherry

Abstract

This is a response to Robert Cherry's comment on the article, “Welfare as We [Don't] Know It: A Review and Feminist Critique of Welfare Reform Research” that appeared in the 10(2) issue of Feminist Economics. This response argues that while some combination of welfare reform, the booming economy in the late 1990s, and changes in economic policy all worked together to decrease caseloads and increase employment rates among welfare leavers, these are incomplete measures of the impact of welfare reform on the lives of lone mothers. This paper also argues that the effects of welfare reform on lone mothers are more mixed than Cherry acknowledges. This paper concludes that when one holistically examines low-income lone mothers' lives, it is premature to declare welfare reform a success.     

Toward Myanmar's New Stage of Development: Transition from Military Rule to the Market

The economic reforms implemented by the Thein Sein government face several challenges, some of which continue from the past military regime and some of which are new. The government is starting to overhaul institutions in order to obtain market‐based macroeconomic policy tools, which will possibly eliminate a long‐lasting fundamental cause of economic instability. One essential challenge is to design policies to encourage private capital, and to promote the agricultural and manufacturing sectors, which have already shown a high potential. At the same time, a regulatory framework and a well‐functioning financial system, which are essential to encourage private capital with market discipline, must be developed. A recent rise in natural resources exports created both a fiscal cushion and balance‐of‐payments surplus, which seems to have promoted reforms. However, the government should be aware that the recent favorable conditions may not last for a long future.     

A model of Chinese central government

Why was the Chinese State able to promote economic growth during the reform era, yet has been unable to do so over the previous 30 years? In this article, we focus on a specific aspect of the question, which will contribute to the development of a more comprehensive explanation: the specific institutional arrangement that may induce the autocratic government to adopt growth‐enhancing policies. We consider a standard political‐agency model (Besley, 2006) where the incumbent leader may or may not be congruent, and where, to maintain power, both leader types need the support of the selectorate, an elite group having a say in selecting the leader, as well as associated access to special privileges. Primarily, we find that in autocracies, without electoral discipline to restrain the opportunistic behaviour of a leader, the size of the selectorate should be intermediate; if it is too small, the selectorate is captured by the leader and has no disciplinary role, but if too big, the leader's incentives are diluted.     

Globalization with a human face

This paper has six parts. The first part defines globalization. The second discusses globalization eras. The third discusses the irreversibility and inevitability of globalization. The fourth section discusses the benefits and costs of globalization. The fifth section asks what is to be done. The sixth section contains my conclusions.     

基于传统水乡农业文化的现代旅游区景观分析

在斗门灯笼水乡的设计中,综合利用并深度挖掘斗门区内水乡农业文化资源内涵,弘扬水乡农业文化,将乡土农业景观文化与人工景观有机生态结合,这种基于传统水乡农业文化的现代旅游区景观,将民俗文化作为农业景观的底蕴,开阔出乡土农业文化的现代旅游区新景观。     

经济转型时期中国公共财政体制的改革与完善

财政模式作为经济体制在财政方面的具体体现,是经济体制转型对财政根本要求的一种反映和作用的结果。因此,从健全中央和地方财力与事权相匹配体制的目标任务;积极调整和优化公共支出结构;大力支持区域协调发展和经济结构调整;改革与完善公共财政预算体制等改革和完善公共财政体制是中国经济转型时期的必然要求。     

饲草生产学教学方法的探讨

《饲草生产学》是草业科学专业重要的选修课程。在饲草生产学教学过程中,通过构建新的课程教学体系,加强课程条件建设,改进课程教学方法和教学手段,注重实践教学环节和学生能力的培养,调动学生学习的积极性,提高了教学质量。     

国有企业存在双重效率损失吗——与刘瑞明、石磊教授商榷

国有企业在改革中发展壮大与独立商品生产者地位的确立,表明刘瑞明、石磊教授提出的国有企业存在双重效率损失的两个重要假设——国有企业效率相对低下和政府对国有企业存在软预算约束,是不符合实际的。本文利用中国2000—2008年29个地区的省级面板数据,实证分析证明了国有企业对经济增长具有显著的正向效应,而不是增长拖累。据此提出,就研究方法而言,不能简单套用过去的研究结论作为今天的研究起点;就国有经济与民营经济关系而言,不要片面强调国有经济从竞争性领域退出,不能把国有经济和民营经济对立起来。     

快速城镇化对山东省粮食生产的挑战

随着经济的快速发展,中国城镇化水平不断提高。在快速城镇化发展过程中,大量耕地资源被城市建设占用,大批农村劳动力进入城市,农业水资源紧张态势日趋严峻,农业产业结构调整使粮食作物种植面积不断减少,这些都对粮食生产和粮食安全产生了不利影响。因此,要协调好城镇化发展和粮食生产的关系,合理规划城镇用地,以保障粮食生产及安全。     

A Dynamic Gender Analysis of Spain's Pension Reforms of 2011

Abstract

Gender differences in the labor market have been widely studied and discussed in terms of both research and public policy. One of the contributions of feminist economics has been to analyze and demonstrate links between gendered labor market experience and retirement incomes. This paper presents a methodology to study the dynamics of gender differences among retirees in Spain. The study provides a way to predict the effects of government policies proposed in 2011 that change the institutional framework of social security systems in an effort to address the fiscal challenges of an aging population.