An Epistemological Reflection on Social and Solidarity Economy

Social and Solidarity Economy (SSE) is emerging as life affirming solutions to the global crises through the multiple ways people locally reinvent economic life on the margins of the capitalist system based on values of solidarity, reciprocity and sustainability. Although the SSE builds on a strong foundation of real practices and institutions of economic transformation as the way forward for us, this paper argues that this world of practice is in need of its theory to frame discourses and engage with the bigger picture with confidence as an alternative to the dominant economic paradigm. The author argues that the orthodox economics, with its ontological construct of the homo economicus, Cartesian dichotomy and logical positivist epistemology severely constrains our abilities to understand and appreciate economic alternatives based on ‘other’ rationalities. Hence, there is a need for an epistemological revolution to construct a coherent theoretical framework from the wreckages of the neoclassical economics for the SSE. This paper seeks to outline the basic structure and the key elements of the ontological and the epistemological framework for this ‘science-in-the-making’ as a step to stimulate further debate for a paradigm revolution.     

Spatial takeoff in the first industrial revolution

Using the framework of Desmet and Rossi-Hansberg (forthcoming), we present a model of spatial takeoff that is calibrated using spatially-disaggregated occupational data for England in c. 1710. The model predicts changes in the spatial distribution of agricultural and manufacturing employment which match data for c. 1817 and 1861. The model also matches a number of aggregate changes that characterise the first industrial revolution. Using counterfactual geographical distributions, we show that the initial concentration of productivity can matter for whether and when an industrial takeoff occurs. Subsidies to innovation in either sector can bring forward the date of takeoff while subsidies to the use of land by manufacturing firms can significantly delay a takeoff because it decreases spatial concentration of activity.     

农业剩余转化与动态发展牵扯:以工补农新机制解析

"以工补农"不能单纯地从同情"三农"态度出发研究"单向的以工补农",而应从深入剖析工业化过程中的工业和农业互动关系出发,积极探索"双向的以工补农"机制。从工业化过程中工农互动机制中寻找到一个"以工补农"机制的新视角,通过构建基于工业化的"农业剩余转化"模型,重点分析工业化过程中的农业剩余转化和农业深化发展动态关系的"以工补农"机制。在工业化过程中,要根据工农关系不同阶段的特征,采取不同的工农互动关系调节方法,即不同的"以工补农"策略,促进工业和农业互动协调发展。     

我国农业发展中的金融支持

农业作为国民经济的基础,必须要有持续发展的能力,而这种持续发展必须有强有力的金融支持。我国农业发展只有对风险规避、资金及金融服务提供各种可能的金融支持方式,才能促使我国农业通过走产业化发展道路实现由传统农业向现代农业的转变。     

河北省实施农产品品牌营销的对策分析

进入二十一世纪,我国农业发展进入一个新阶段,面临新的形势。河北省虽然地理环境优越,农产品资源丰富,但目前普遍存在着品牌观念不强、总体质量不高、安全水平较差、农业生产规模小、科学技术水平低和成本高等问题。尤其是我国加入WTO后,农产品国内市场国际化程度加强,市场竞争日趋残酷,发达国家设置了由严格的质量标准,检验检疫标准和认证制度等构成的绿色壁垒。这些问题直接成为影响河北省农产品国内国际竞争力进一步提高的关键性制约因素,必然对河北省农产品的生产和经营提出了更高、更严的要求。打造农业品牌,发挥品牌效应,重点培育具有国际竞争力的农业产区和优势农产品,是我们积极应对入世挑战、增强国内、国际市场竞争力和提高自身效益的重要途径,也是河北省农业发展到新阶段,在新形势下实现更高层次快速发展的必然选择。     

The visible hand: the role of government in China’s long-awaited industrial revolution

China is undergoing its long-awaited industrial revolution. There is no shortage of commentary and opinion on this dramatic period, but few have attempted to provide a coherent, in-depth, political-economic framework that explains the fundamental mechanisms behind China’s rapid industrialization. This article reviews the Embryonic Economic Development theory put forth by Wen (2016a). This article reviews the Embryonic Economic Development theory put forth by Wen . It illuminates the critical sequence of developmental stages since the reforms enacted by Deng Xiaoping in 1978: namely, small-scale commercialized agricultural production, proto-industrialization in the countryside, a formal industrial revolution based on mass production of labor-intensive light consumer goods, a sustainable ‘industrial trinity’ boom in energy/motive power/infrastructure, and a second industrial revolution involving the mass production of heavy industrial goods. This developmental sequence follows essentially the same pattern as Great Britain’s Industrial Revolution, despite sharp differences in political and institutional conditions. One of the key conclusions exemplified by China’s economic rise is that the extent of industrialization is limited by the extent of the market. One of the key strategies behind the creation and nurturing of a continually growing market in China is based on this premise: The free market is a public good that is very costly for nations to create and support. Market creation requires a powerful ‘mercantilist’ state and the correct sequence of developmental stages; China has been successfully accomplishing its industrialization through these stages, backed by measured, targeted reforms and direct participation from its central and local governments.     

涉农供应链时间竞争的基本障碍分析

在传统的农业技术条件和涉农供应链管理模式下,典型的涉农链在时间竞争的强化与柔性机制的建立上面临诸多局限和障碍：（1）横亘于涉农供应链两类制造业之间的“速度陷区”.（2）“刚性点阵”.（3）“弱刹车机制”.（4）异构性问题.（5）时间竞争工具的有限性.（6）涉农供应链特殊的物流路径特征模式.上述诸因素综合作用形成了现实中两种常见的涉农链时间反应模式：弱反应模式和高成本反应模式.而现代供应链管理理念指导下涉农供应链时间竞争追求的却是-种有效反应模式.建立涉农供应链时间竞争的有效反应模式是一个复杂艰巨的过程.     

中国农产品进出口与农业产业安全预警分析

农业产业安全是指农业的生存与发展不受到外来势力根本威胁的状态.本文采用农业产业安全评价指标体系与预警界限对农业产业安全进行预警分析,在预测中国农产品进出口额及粮食供需状况的基础上,对本世纪初中国农业产业安全度的情况进行了估算.     

国有企业转型过程中宏观与微观权力关系的渐进式变革

随着企业转型,企业的宏观权力关系从完全附属于政府主管部门、"五龙治水"、国资委统一行使所有者职能、到海外投资者对国有股东形成制衡.在微观权力关系上,企业的经营者由政府官员性质、行政性"内部人控制"问题的产生,到海外投资者选派的独立董事代表的进入,加强了对"内部人控制"问题的约束.总的来看,这种政府主导型的改革对企业转型和宏观权力关系产生了显著影响,但微观权力格局的转换仍然相当艰难.     

资本约束背景下定向降准对企业信贷的定向引导效果

2017年,央行将普惠金融和定向降准相结合,定向降准能否精准引流决定着政策的成败。基于上市公司2011年至2019年的面板数据,采用双重差分法检验定向降准是否能够实现其政策目标,定向向三农和小微企业引导信贷资源,并用三重差分法引入资本约束这一调节变量,检验资本约束的增强是否对定向降准的实施效果有影响。结果表明:定向降准能够达到政策目标,增加三农和小微企业可获得的信贷资源,此外资本约束对定向降准的实施效果无显著影响。