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in Policy Review
by
John Delury, April/May 2008
With China's tight hold on official speech, the recent appeal to the discourse of "harmony" marks a new emphasis by the Chinese Communist Party on classical interpretations of stability, rather than Marxism's continuous social revolution, argues Delury. Harmony -- the catchall term offering a utopian society for all China's interest groups -- could mean not egalitarianism, or even Confucius' original doctrines, but an ongoing balancing act between repression (force) and freedom (leniency). In this academic exploration of the historical meaning of Chinese harmony, Delury proficiently examines the implications this new doctrine has for Chinese politics and questions how long the balancing act can continue.
Posted 2:27, 11 April 2008
This abstract was written by
Bethany Stotts
and edited by Brijit.
in Policy Review
by
Steve Stein, April/May 2008
There are generally two groups supporting US energy independence: those who believe there is a national security imperative to decrease our reliance on oil-exporting countries, and those who believe that we must wean ourselves off oil to combat global warming. Stein argues that these groups are separated by three core issues: Should the US increase its consumption of coal as an oil replacement? Are energy sources such as nuclear, wind, and solar power more environmentally friendly? What are the critical time horizons for action? While some of Stein's arguments are compelling, his notion of two distinct and separate energy lobbies seems overly simplistic.
Posted 11:29, 11 April 2008
This abstract was written by
Gabriel Murray
and edited by Brijit.
in Policy Review
by
Rachel M. McCleary, April/May 2008
Through a comparative study of religious and economic indicators, analysis of theories of religious extremism and violence, and use of concepts of value and wealth, McCleary attempts to deconstruct the bilateral relationship between religiosity and economic development. Though the impacts are far too diverse to tie together, she notices a difference in religious belief and practice. Extensive religious practice is shown to interfere with economic activity and taper off as countries move down the path of development; belief, however, can develop a productive work ethic and sense of thrift. This piece is well-researched and successfully sets the stage for future debate.
Posted 11:27, 11 April 2008
This abstract was written by
Alan Blickenstaff
and edited by Brijit.
in Policy Review
by
Amitai Etzioni, April/May 2008
Etzioni cites examples of despotic regimes being overthrown, only to bring forth eruptions of corrupt and anti-social behavior -- as opposed to the pro-social democratic behaviors that most western politicos expect. Chief among Etzioni's examples are the booming violent crime rates in the former Soviet Union and China. While he doesn't see more policing and government crackdowns as the panacea for these disturbing and unexpected developments, he alludes to a moderate theocracy as offering solace and solution to a disturbed population unresponsive to such crackdowns -- cases in point being the recently "liberated" Iraq and Afghanistan. It's a contrarian view that offers food for thought
Posted 11:22, 11 April 2008
This abstract was written by
Elliot Feldman
and edited by Brijit.
in Policy Review
by
Adam Creighton, April/May 2008
Creighton's studious overview of recent attempts to revise the US tax code, intended to increase revenue and close loopholes benefiting private equity firms, concludes that piecemeal legislation is ineffective and that only wholesale simplification will produce results. He offers plenty of specific details on the subtleties of carried interest and sweat equity, ordinary income versus capital gains, and publicly traded partnerships versus limited liability partnerships -- he also capably explains how provisions included in the recent proposed legislation would add further complication to the tax code, but yield little additional revenue.
Posted 11:21, 11 April 2008
This abstract was written by
Cath Stockbridge
and edited by Brijit.
in Policy Review
by
Andreas Goldthau, February/March 2008
Russia's resurgence as a player on the world stage is due largely to its energy-related initiatives -- that's the conventional wisdom, at least. This well-argued, scholarly article contends that this wisdom is based on five myths that don't add up: Goldthau believes Russia is unable to use energy as a geopolitical weapon and is in no position to push other countries around on gas and oil issues. He also posits that Russia is not an energy superpower, its economic expansion is not based on high energy prices and, lastly, that the country will not embark on a significant energy alliance with China.
Posted 10:02, 7 February 2008
This abstract was written by
Cortland Coleman
and edited by Brijit.
in Policy Review
by
Peter A. Thiel, February/March 2008
In this strange essay, Thiel puts forth a sort of Pascal's Gamble for the world of finance. Because the world can avert doom only by becoming more globalized, investors might as well put their money in globalizing ventures, even if they do so too enthusiastically; indeed, he admits, globalization has been the foundation of all bubbles. Thiel's writing style is occasionally irritating -- all those Biblical quotations are ironic, right? -- and he brushes off criticism of his hypothesis's untestability by calling his essay a thought experiment. Nevertheless, this piece is at times mildly amusing, and possibly even informative.
Posted 2:15, 6 February 2008
This abstract was written by
Danny Kind
and edited by Brijit.
in Policy Review
by
Alexander Benard, February/March 2008
Recent findings that many Muslim countries support secular governments suggest that progress in promoting religious tolerance in the Middle East is indeed possible, Benard argues. As for how to do so, we need only refer to America's founding fathers: Benard summarizes four arguments that Jefferson, Madison, et al. used to convince wary colonists of the value of religious freedom, and then explains how each can be adapted by Middle Eastern moderates. Benard's recommendations for US involvement may make some uneasy, but the parallels he draws between societies are fascinating.
Posted 11:22, 6 February 2008
This abstract was written by
Danny Kind
and edited by Brijit.
in Policy Review
by
Zoltan Barany, February/March 2008
Despite Moscow's assertive posture and official pronouncements of reform, Russia's military remains a paper threat -- for now. Despite recent increases, the military is still underfunded (military expenditures are 5 percent of US spending), and a reliance on conscription funnels the least qualified into the military, while allowing more desirable conscripts to avoid military service. Meaningful military reform, meanwhile, has existed primarily on paper. According to Barany's informed analysis, Russia shows signs of addressing many of these problems, but its fundamental dilemma is that the military's mission, like the type of military threats it might face in the future, remains uncertain.
Posted 11:06, 6 February 2008
This abstract was written by
Nicole Hablenko
and edited by Brijit.
in Policy Review
by
Michael Schwartz, February/March 2008
Until 1941, 90 percent of the Supreme Court's decisions were unanimous; today the majority of verdicts have at least one dissenting voice. Indeed, a third of rulings in the 2006-7 session were 5-4 verdicts. Schwartz argues in favor of unanimous decisions from the Supreme Court, claiming uncertainty undermines the Court's primary role of ruling what the law is, and that dissension has no practical effect other than weakening the institution's authority. Having to give at least two differing opinions in a ruling slows down the Court's work, and increases the tension over nominations and confirmation hearings. Schwartz writes in a clear, reasoned, and authoritative fashion.
Posted 10:21, 6 February 2008
This abstract was written by
John Lister
and edited by Brijit.