Volume XXXIV – 2000

In the attempt to deepen the understanding of Keynes' thought as an international macroeconomist, we explore the hypothesis of consistency between his general methodological approach to the economic material and his way of reasoning about international economic relations. As a first step toward this direction, we investigate the methodology of The Economic Consequences of the Peace and find that it reflects Keynes' attempt to cope with the attributes of the complexity characterizing the European settlement for the post-war period, e.g., 1) organic interdependence among variables at play, 2) irreducible dilemmas and situations of conflict, as well as 3) the need for external, public assistance to overcome the impasse and promote a "shared responsibilities" approach to the imbalances. Striking similarities appearing with the method of Keynes' economic diplomacy in the 1940s are shown to substantiate the current rediscovery of his plans for Bretton Woods.     

Rio plus Ten: Politics,Poverty, and Environment

The purpose of this paper is to contrast the work of Douglass North and Karl Polanyi regarding financial institutions associated in market economies. Both implicitly acknowledge the synergy between public and private financial markets, which can serve to solidify an alliance between wealth holders and the state, potentially at the expense of “sociery” at large. This alliance may stimulate growth, according to North, as well as impose the strain of the market, according to Polanyi. Taken together, these insights undercut the classical story of the neutral role of money, as well as the notion of a clear distinction between public and private, politics and markets.     

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.     

ENVIRONMENTAL DYNAMICS AND THE LINKS BETWEEN GROWTH,VOLATILITY AND MORTALITY

I construct a model of a growing economy with pollution. The analysis of the model shows that the interactions between capital accumulation, endogenous lifetime and environmental quality determine both the long‐run growth rate and the pattern of convergence (i.e., monotonic or cyclical) towards the balanced growth path. I argue that such interactions can provide a possible explanatory factor behind the, empirically observed, negative correlation between growth and volatility. Furthermore, the model may capture the observed pattern whereby economic growth and mortality rates appear to be negatively related in the long run, but positively related in the short run.     

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.     

基于SDA模型的生态工业园资源环境压力与结构分解研究——以大连经济技术开发区生态工业园区为例

本文建立结构分解分析（SDA）模型,以大连经济技术开发区生态工业园区为例,定量分析了2001-2010年资源与环境压力的驱动因子和效应。结果表明,土地因子对生态工业园区资源环境压力的效应为正,相对较小且稳定,而效应随园区经济发展逐渐减弱则说明土地开发不再是造成资源环境压力的主要因素;经济因子的效应为正且逐年增大,是园区资源环境压力的主要动因,表明典型园区在经济高速增长阶段对资源和环境造成了破坏;技术因子的效应为负,相对较大且稳定,但随着园区经济因子正效应的逐渐增大,技术因子负效应开始抵消不了经济因子的正效应,表明园区在后期的发展会遇到节能减排技术创新的瓶颈,技术因子减小园区的资源环境压力的效应呈边际递减。     

安徽城市群的发展定位探讨

城市群的发展深刻影响着一个国家或区域的竞争力,对经济持续稳定发展具有重大意义,但其发展规模和方向是有规律可循的,并需要一个成长的渐进过程。安徽城市群在发展和规划过程中,由于自身定位不清和地方利益的驱动,部分城市、城市群之间不顾现实发展基础和城市群发展的客观规律,盲目贪快求大,严重影响了城市群的正常形成进程。为此,安徽在城市群的发展过程中,需要更为审慎的态度,在明确发展什么样的城市群,谁来主导发展以及如何发展这样一个准确定位分析的基础上,通过运用培育优势产业集群、提升中心城市极化功能、完善城市等级结构、建立跨行政区域的协调组织和多元化城市群治理机制等方法和措施,来推进安徽城市群在符合内在发展规律的基础上逐步形成与发展。     

《资本论》中的低碳经济理论简述——从经济伦理的视角

从《资本论》的人道观看,低碳经济是人类应然且必然的选择,但是经济活动的碳放量并非越低越好,更不是无碳最好,而且低碳经济未必就是人道的经济。从《资本论》的自由观看,经济活动碳放量的高低变化反映了人类自由不断实现的过程,发展现代社会的低碳经济,科技发展是关键,量力而行是基本原则。从《资本论》的正义论看,资本主义制度下高碳经济的高速发展从根本上讲不是源于其制度的正义性而是源于其制度的不正义性。《资本论》对高碳经济的正义审视仍未过时,对建设我国低碳经济的制度保障也不乏现实的启示性。     

关于公共支出与经济增长的国内外研究综述

公共支出与经济增长的关系一直以来为经济学家们所争论。持公共支出促进经济增长观点认为,政府公共支出在经济增长中发挥着重要作用,因为它为经济发展提供了大量的公共品和其他具有外部效应的公共福利或服务,从而鼓励和便利了私人投资,形成了一个较好的投资环境,促进了经济增长。而持反对意见的认为,公共支出往往是生产率较低的,为融通政府支出而形成的高税收又会对私人部门的消费和投资造成很大的负面影响,因此,必须缩减政府支出,才能保证经济增长。当然也有人持两者根本就没有关系的观点。     

Creating a Space where Gender Matters: Elinor Ostrom (1933-2012) talks with Ann Mari May and Gale Summerfield

Abstract

In 2009, Elinor Ostrom received the Nobel Memorial Prize in Economic Sciences for her work, especially on governance of the commons. Trained as a political scientist, Ostrom embraced interdisciplinary research and transdisciplinary collaboration. Ann Mari May and Gale Summerfield's interview with Ostrom, conducted in fall 2011, illustrates the relevance of her work to feminist economics as well as her impressive accomplishments as the first woman recipient of the Nobel prize in economics and as a pioneering woman in academia. Ostrom died on June 12, 2012.