Introduction: Beyond the Great Divergence

Was today’s alternative model of development universal in the eighteenth century? By comparing what was then mainstream economic development with today’s alternative model, The Great Divergence: China, Europe, and the Making of the Modern World Economy (hereafter, The Great Divergence) reminds us that development has many possibilities. Like many of us who are familiar with the classic research models for the origins of Western European capitalism, Pomeranz, on encountering evidence betraying the paucity of advocates for the “European miracle” and the backwardness of early modern England and Europe, was irresistibly impelled to reassess this period. What he found was a decline in environmental resources relative to the growing population in the preindustrial world—an issue that can hardly be said to be economic; rather, for the moment, let us acknowledge it as arising from the demand for plant and animal resources. The Great Divergence asserts that in the eighteenth century, when timber had not yet been completely replaced by coal, four major products of the land—food, fuel, fiber and building materials—were facing increasing demographic pressure, which people in Europe, especially England, and in China, especially the lower Yangzi Delta (Jiangnan), and even in Japan and India, were all trying to deal with, and to which they all responded by choosing a labor–intensive path. This raised output and satisfied the environmental resource needs of a growing population. In the end, however, The Great Divergence lets the cat out of the bag, holding that environmental pressures were considerably relieved in England in the mid- to late eighteenth century, due to the industrial revolution sparked by its coal and iron and the abundant supply of land-intensive products imported from the New World; England then abandoned its labor-intensive path and took the road of industrialization, in which capital and labor made up for shortage of land. With the advent of the industrial revolution, Pomeranz’ doubts about Eurocentrism automatically come to an end; the nineteenth century becomes a dividing wall. The concept of development that takes environmental resources—including land—as existing merely for demand and consumption takes its fixed form in the nineteenth and twentieth centuries, the stage in which economic development reigned supreme and industrialization proceeded through plunder and rapine.     

China’s Economic Development and Development Economics Innovation

China has experienced rapid economic growth since its reform and opening up 40 years ago. The prime mover and key driver of these amazing achievements originated in China’s transformation from a planned economy to a socialist market economy, and from a closed economy to an open economy. The optimal allocation of the various factors of production and the interaction of economic growth and structural upgrading also played a significant part. China’s economic growth over the 40 years has applied, and proven effective, the general principles of development economics, and more importantly, based on the realities of China, it has contributed to theoretical innovation and institutional innovation, leading China along the road of socialism with Chinese characteristics. Entering the new era, China is committed to building a modern economic system and promoting high-quality development under the guidance of the new development concepts of innovation, coordination, green development, opening up and sharing.     

The alternative model of development: the practice of community economy in disaster-stricken Sichuan

The discussion of China as a new partner among the ‘old’ international powerful states has largely focused on its actual and potential economic power and performance. To achieve and maintain this status, China has to convince the world and its people that continuous economic development is not only possible but also necessary. The dominant discourse suggests a model of development that relies primarily on the relentless growth in GDP. This discourse has had a profound influence on the post-earthquake redevelopment/reconstruction efforts in Sichuan province. However, alternative models of development/redevelopment also attempt to help the reconstruction of these communities. Community economy as alternative model emphasizes not just on economic growth, but also the importance of renewing the interpersonal relationships among local villagers and the relationships between rural producers and urban consumers. In this paper, the evolution, implementation and outcome of this practice are described and discussed. Implications and recommendations are also drawn for similar community endeavours in the context of global (economic) development.     

东北区域经济发动机形成的宏观需求与国际效应

经过四分之一世纪的经济增长,中国出现了沿海岸线向内陆延伸,发达程度呈梯次递退的不同经济区域,在沿海地区形成了珠江三角洲、长江三角洲和泛渤海地区三个世界级的经济发动机。东北是具有加重型产业和原材料产业优势的区域,它不应成为沿海地区的经济后院,而应坚持自己的区域特色,整合产业链形成自己的发动机力量,成为中国经济增长的第四根支柱,这也是中国和世界经济发展的宏观需求。如果在未来十年至十五年内形成东北、中部和中南部三个新的世界级经济发动机,那么中国将可能继续成为世界经济发展的火车头力量。     

设计文化与西部开发

西部开发的战略实施,必然要受到各种因素的多元化促成与推动。其中设计文化的文化推动是直接影响经济发展规模和社会生产力的一个重要方面。.设计文化的提出是一种物化的知识力量体现,它可以直接创造物质文明。设计文化的多样性可以理解为经济文化、工业生产技术的标志性文化、当代科技发展的前瞻文化、物质精神结合的创造文化、社会分工与协调的群体文化。它可作为智力支撑和推动西部大开发战略的实施,并且能够保障西部经济的腾飞。     

基于DEA的我国循环经济宏观效率初探

为了更好地发展循环经济，有必要对循环经济发展状况进行评价及研究。在界定循环经济效率内涵的基础上。采用数据包络分析法对我国1995－2008年这14年来的循环经济宏观效率进行实证分析和综合评价，可以发现，目前我国循环经济宏观效率总体呈现不断提高的良好趋势，但各地区发展不平衡，发展循环经济仍需长期努力。     

我国西部建设区域金融中心的路径研究——基于西部三省市条件分析

北京、上海与深圳三个中心城市是我国经济实力最强的三个城市,虽然离国际金融中心还有较大差距,但已经显示了作为国内"金融中心"的经济与金融发展实力,并且对其腹地长三角、环渤海地区及珠三角的经济已经显出了强大的辐射力,带动了整个地区经济快速发.以这三个城市相关数据为基础.确立建设区域金融中心量化的参照指标值体系.通过西部重庆、四川和陕西三省市与参照指标的条件对比分析,我们认为建设西部区域金融中心须遵循"省内金融中心--跨省金融联动中心--西部金融中心"的发展路径.     

印度产业升级的路径依赖和路径创新——一基于新制度经济学视角的探讨

产业升级是一个国家经济持续增长的必经之路，实质上也是一个制度变迁的过程。按照新制度经济学的观点，建立在自然资源禀赋、技术、制度、环境等因素基础上的路径依赖已经将印度锁定在“逆工业化”这条路径上。要想破除锁定，实现产业升级，就必须分析印度产业结构中产生路径依赖的各种因素，比如报酬递增、利益集团、初设成本、学习效应、协调效应、适应性预期、思想观念等，实现路径创新，增加经济发展的内源动力，实现国民经济可持续增长的目的。这一思路对中国的产业升级也具有启示作用。     

Medical Nemesis and Economic Health,or Economic Nemesis and Medical Health: The Modern Dilemma

Modern analyses of health trends recognize the importance of ‘life style’ or behavioural variables in health. But this has the effect of taking the emphasis off the real socioeconomic determinants of life style in modern society. In the present paper changing health patterns in Australia are examined and some explanations of these changes are considered. It is concluded that ‘life style’ explanations of modern ‘societal’ illness are a ‘cop-out‘. They ignore the deeper economic and social causes of life styles and in particular the dynamic relationship between these and a rapidly expanding growth economy. The question of whether medical health demands economic nemesis under a continuation of the growth system is considered in this light.     

发展县域工业和县域经济必须转变增长方式

县域工业和县域经济能否又好又快地发展,直接关系到整个国民经济发展的质量和进程。而要发展县域工业和县域经济,就必须在深化认识、更新观念的基础上,采取有效对策和措施,尽快实现增长方式的转变。     

“官场+市场”与中国增长故事

本文运用和拓展了“官场+市场”理论,重新解析中国独具特色的经济增长机制以及政府与市场的互动模式。地方官员之间围绕着辖区经济发展的官场竞争嵌入在不同辖区企业之间的市场竞争之中,而辖区企业参与的市场竞争又嵌入在官场竞争之中。作为一种分析框架,“官场+市场”的理论贡献在于揭示了政府与市场的良性互动、政企的有效合作必备的三个条件,即内部的政治激励（“把事做对”）、外部的市场约束（“防止做坏事”）和必要的信息反馈（“做对的事”）。中国“官场+市场”的增长模式在总体上提供了这三个关键条件,在最积极的意义上实现了辖区内政治企业家与民间企业家精神的结合,政治精英与经济精英的结合,中国历史悠久的官僚政治传统与西方国家市场经济传统的结合,为我们揭示中国增长之谜开辟了新的视角。     

试析南宁国际民歌艺术节的“文化搭台,经济唱戏”

实用功利性从来都是艺术的属性,艺术的功能是复合的,民歌节便是以审美艺术为主导,兼具政治、社会、经济多种功能。在社会主义市场经济条件下,南宁国际民歌艺术节＂文化搭台,经济唱戏＂具有一定的合理性,只要正确认识和处理民歌艺术性与经济效益的关系,始终把对民歌艺术性的追求放在首位,同时,合理发挥其经济效益,两者是可以实现和谐统一、相互促进、共同发展的。     

西部大开发与高等教育发展

高等教育优先发展是实施西部大开发的根本大计,具有十分重要的战略意义。优先发展西部地区高等教育,关键是树立教育是事关全局的基础性和先导性产业的观念,将党和国家发展贫困地区教育的政策落到实处,千方百计增加对教育的投入,全面提高教师队伍的整体素质;发展西部高等教育除了中东部要主动参与西部的教育资源开发外,西部高等教育要加快布局结构调整;办学模式的多样化;合理利用教育资源,促进产、学、研结合,实现西部高等教育与西部经济和社会发展的协调一致。     

中国在现代工业化实践中仿效"苏联模式"的经验与教训

中国现代化的核心和基础是工业化,工业化的重要特征是国民经济的持续增长和经济社会结构的变化。中国的经济发展要取得成功,必须探索一条符合中国国情的工业化道路。尽管这种探索有失误和教训,但总的说来见开创了社会主义现代化建设的新局面。     

‘Fragmented authoritarianism’ – the facilitator behind the Chinese reform miracle: a case study in central China

Although it maintains an authoritarian power structure, China has been widely perceived as one of most decentralized nations in the world in terms of government spending. The concept of ‘fragmented authoritarianism’ has figured largely in academic discussions of China's regime. It raises the question of how such apparently opposed states – ‘fragmentation’ and ‘authoritarianism’ – co-exist. In particular, how can so many important economic and political reforms have been launched in a milieu of fragmented authoritarianism? An analysis of an intergovernmental jurisdiction reform launched by city leaders suggests that fragmented authoritarianism facilitated the reform miracle. Fragmentation supplies the room and space for reform and change, while authoritarianism provides the power and authority for leaders to launch such reforms. That is why China has been able to remain united through a process of dramatic change.     

创建东亚区域经济共同体的具体构想及实施路径

当前,世界经济失衡结构急需扭转。2009年9月21日,时任日本首相鸠山由纪夫向我国国家主席胡锦涛提议＂共同构建东亚共同体＂。这项提议对推动世界经济向均衡发展无疑具有积极意义,它能促进东亚经济实现更好更快发展,促进世界三足鼎立新格局的构建,引导亚洲经济乃至世界经济进入一个全新发展时期。     

面向2030:全球海洋经济发展的影响因素、趋势及对策建议

“保护和可持续利用海洋和海洋资源以促进可持续发展”被写入联合国《2030年可持续发展议程》,全球海洋经济的可持续发展已成为国际社会共同关注的热点问题之一,部分国际组织和沿海国家已率先启动了相关研究工作。本文总结了海洋经济的范畴及全球研究进展,提出了影响2030年全球海洋经济发展的七个主要因素,即全球经济的增长前景、技术创新与进步、人口增长及城镇化和老龄化问题、世界能源结构变化、地缘政治风险、气候变化与海洋的相互作用和海洋经济政策的实施;分析了未来全球海洋产业的发展趋势;最后提出了促进我国海洋经济可持续发展的五点对策建议。     

China’s first priority in post-war state building: A wealthy state,or a strong army?

This analysis examined causal links in China’s defence–growth nexus in 1960–2016. The results show that better growth significantly reduces military-civilian ratio and propels military reforms. The unidirectional threshold causality from growth to defence shows that the military impact on a positive change in China’s growth is little in the long term. Conversely, the growth impact of a positive change in defence has accelerated after it reaches the threshold year in 1987. This finding explains why Chinese economy stagnated when defence was prioritised and why China has risen dramatically in the Far East after three decades of fast economic growth.     

经济全球化:如何达到"共赢和共存"

经济全球化是当代世界经济发展的客观趋势 ,其主要表现是生产活动全球化、国际贸易扩大、对外直接投资增加、世界金融市场急剧膨胀等方面。经济全球化对世界经济发展有双重作用 ,利弊同在。世界各国应加强经济技术的交流与合作 ,逐步改变不公正不合理的国际经济秩序 ,使经济全球化达到共赢和共存的目的。     

Channels of monetary policy transmission in Vietnam

Since the economic reforms launched in 1986, the Vietnamese economy has registered impressive economic growth. While foreign investment is providing much needed capital, through the conduct of monetary policy, the State Bank of Vietnam (SBV), which is an integral part of the government of Vietnam, is also playing an important role in nurturing the economic growth. The aim of this paper is to evaluate the success of the SBV policies. Monetary policy actions affect all sectors of real economies with a significant lag. Without a good understanding of the transmission mechanism, monetary policy actions may not achieve the desired outcomes. Using quarterly data from 1995 to 2010, this paper focuses on monetary policy transmission mechanisms in Vietnam. Specifically, we consider the dynamic response of the Vietnamese economy to interest rate, exchange rate and foreign shocks. The estimated results based on structural vector autoregressive (SVAR) methodology suggest that monetary shocks tend to have a strong influence on Vietnam’s output. We find that Vietnam’s monetary policy is relatively more susceptible to foreign shocks.