Diversity in the biophysical and socio-economic attributes of agricultural systems makes them uniquely niche based. Farmers are expert in local biophysical and socio-economic situations and can contribute in developin...Diversity in the biophysical and socio-economic attributes of agricultural systems makes them uniquely niche based. Farmers are expert in local biophysical and socio-economic situations and can contribute in developing pragmatic indicators of agro-environmental development. During evaluation of an agricultural research project in Yunnan, China, local farmers were capable of evaluating the effects of modified technologies on existing cropping systems and discussed their attitudes to the interventions using their own indicators. Farmers＇ response can be grouped into seven major aspects： i） effects on income, ii） effects on production resources, iii） effects on crop management, iv） existing local knowledge about the technology, v） availability of inputs, vi） access to information, and vii） socio-economic conditions of farming households. Farmers concluded that environmental conditions in the experimental catchment in comparison to an adjacent untreated catchment were better in terms of soil and water losses, vegetation cover and natural resources, infrastructures and catchment management, use of environmentally-friendly technologies, and crop productivity. Success in soil and water conservation programmes depends on the efforts of the farmers and other local users and their greater involvement helps to identify more pragmatic indicators. Furthermore, it increases ownership of the programme, enhances interactions with the project scientists, increases farmers＇ awareness of ago-environmental problems and their possible consequences. These development will enable scientists to develop better targeted interventions and increase the likelihood of adoption of tested technologies by local communities. The use of paired adjacent catchments improved evaluation activities and is proposed as good practice for future catchment improvement programmes.展开更多
Asia has a special significance in China’s neighborhood strategy.Geographically,the Belt and Road Initiative faces the countries of Asia or China’s neighbors in the first place.Asia is clearly marked by an imbalance...Asia has a special significance in China’s neighborhood strategy.Geographically,the Belt and Road Initiative faces the countries of Asia or China’s neighbors in the first place.Asia is clearly marked by an imbalance in and“absence”of regional economic integration.This“absence”is two-fold:it is expressed on the one hand as a lack of unified institutional arrangements for regional economic integration,and on the other as the inability of underdeveloped countries in the region to truly participate in regional economic integration and thereby gain opportunities for development.Compared with the rule-oriented nature of existing regional economic integration mechanisms,the Belt and Road Initiative,as a new type of regional cooperation mechanism,displays an orientation towards development.All existing regional economic integration arrangements,regardless of their form,establish specific rules on access thresholds,the rights and duties of member countries,schedules and roadmaps,dispute resolution mechanisms and so forth.This is not the case for the Belt and Road,which is not predicated on specific rules,but establishes its overall framework by orienting itself towards development.Overall,the development orientation of the Belt and Road is helpful not only in overcoming the inherent defects of Asian regional economic integration,but in responding to the new challenge of anti-globalization.This is an institutional public good that China offers to Asia and to the world.展开更多
This paper explores the dynamic nature of the transformation of public housing regimes in urban China since the abolishment of the urban welfare housing system in the late 1990s. We summarize the latest progress in th...This paper explores the dynamic nature of the transformation of public housing regimes in urban China since the abolishment of the urban welfare housing system in the late 1990s. We summarize the latest progress in the development of public housing in post- reform China and investigate the driving forces behind these developments. A close examination of the public rental housing program in Shanghai helps to show that the recent revival of public housing in Chinese cities is mostly driven by the desire for economic growth. We conclude that the state provision of housing could be a short-run state remedy to alleviate economic imbalance and social inequality. However, in the long run China needs to seek more effective solutions to solve the low-income population＇s housing affordability problems.展开更多
This essay tries tO explore the contemporary significance of Marx＇s economic theory of the motivation and the behavioral model of the agents of capitalist production. The first and the second part of this essay revie...This essay tries tO explore the contemporary significance of Marx＇s economic theory of the motivation and the behavioral model of the agents of capitalist production. The first and the second part of this essay review and analyze the concept of the agent of capitalist production in Marx＇s theory, and point out that Marx explains the motivation and behavior of the agents of capitalist production from the perspectives of capital in general, competition, and uncertainty respectively. The third part of this essay offers a brief comment on the interactive relationship between the institutional varieties of capitalism and behavioral model of the agents and points out that the concept of the agents of capitalist production has its inherent limitations when confi＇onted with the problem of institutional varieties.展开更多
基金Project supported by the University of Wolverhampton, UK.
文摘Diversity in the biophysical and socio-economic attributes of agricultural systems makes them uniquely niche based. Farmers are expert in local biophysical and socio-economic situations and can contribute in developing pragmatic indicators of agro-environmental development. During evaluation of an agricultural research project in Yunnan, China, local farmers were capable of evaluating the effects of modified technologies on existing cropping systems and discussed their attitudes to the interventions using their own indicators. Farmers＇ response can be grouped into seven major aspects： i） effects on income, ii） effects on production resources, iii） effects on crop management, iv） existing local knowledge about the technology, v） availability of inputs, vi） access to information, and vii） socio-economic conditions of farming households. Farmers concluded that environmental conditions in the experimental catchment in comparison to an adjacent untreated catchment were better in terms of soil and water losses, vegetation cover and natural resources, infrastructures and catchment management, use of environmentally-friendly technologies, and crop productivity. Success in soil and water conservation programmes depends on the efforts of the farmers and other local users and their greater involvement helps to identify more pragmatic indicators. Furthermore, it increases ownership of the programme, enhances interactions with the project scientists, increases farmers＇ awareness of ago-environmental problems and their possible consequences. These development will enable scientists to develop better targeted interventions and increase the likelihood of adoption of tested technologies by local communities. The use of paired adjacent catchments improved evaluation activities and is proposed as good practice for future catchment improvement programmes.
文摘Asia has a special significance in China’s neighborhood strategy.Geographically,the Belt and Road Initiative faces the countries of Asia or China’s neighbors in the first place.Asia is clearly marked by an imbalance in and“absence”of regional economic integration.This“absence”is two-fold:it is expressed on the one hand as a lack of unified institutional arrangements for regional economic integration,and on the other as the inability of underdeveloped countries in the region to truly participate in regional economic integration and thereby gain opportunities for development.Compared with the rule-oriented nature of existing regional economic integration mechanisms,the Belt and Road Initiative,as a new type of regional cooperation mechanism,displays an orientation towards development.All existing regional economic integration arrangements,regardless of their form,establish specific rules on access thresholds,the rights and duties of member countries,schedules and roadmaps,dispute resolution mechanisms and so forth.This is not the case for the Belt and Road,which is not predicated on specific rules,but establishes its overall framework by orienting itself towards development.Overall,the development orientation of the Belt and Road is helpful not only in overcoming the inherent defects of Asian regional economic integration,but in responding to the new challenge of anti-globalization.This is an institutional public good that China offers to Asia and to the world.
基金The research is supported by funding from the National Science Foundation of China （Grant Nos. NSF7161101095 NSF71573166 NSF71173045） and the Key Social Science Project of Ministry of Education of China （13JZD009）.
文摘This paper explores the dynamic nature of the transformation of public housing regimes in urban China since the abolishment of the urban welfare housing system in the late 1990s. We summarize the latest progress in the development of public housing in post- reform China and investigate the driving forces behind these developments. A close examination of the public rental housing program in Shanghai helps to show that the recent revival of public housing in Chinese cities is mostly driven by the desire for economic growth. We conclude that the state provision of housing could be a short-run state remedy to alleviate economic imbalance and social inequality. However, in the long run China needs to seek more effective solutions to solve the low-income population＇s housing affordability problems.
文摘This essay tries tO explore the contemporary significance of Marx＇s economic theory of the motivation and the behavioral model of the agents of capitalist production. The first and the second part of this essay review and analyze the concept of the agent of capitalist production in Marx＇s theory, and point out that Marx explains the motivation and behavior of the agents of capitalist production from the perspectives of capital in general, competition, and uncertainty respectively. The third part of this essay offers a brief comment on the interactive relationship between the institutional varieties of capitalism and behavioral model of the agents and points out that the concept of the agents of capitalist production has its inherent limitations when confi＇onted with the problem of institutional varieties.
