Determinants of public support for tax and expenditure initiatives: An Oregon and Washington case study

This article examines the determinants of public support for state tax and expenditure initiatives in Washington and Oregon during the 1993 elections. Both states had initiatives on their November ballots dealing with taxes and expenditures—Measure 1 in Oregon, which would have introduced a state sales tax, and two initiatives in Washington (I-601 and I-602) concerning state government revenue and expenditure limitations. Using statewide mail and telephone surveys conducted among voting age residents of Oregon and Washington several weeks prior to the election, this study examines the determinants of public support for each of the initiatives. The determinants of support examined include various sociodemographic factors such as age cohort, gender, education, level of income, and occupational sector (public v. private); the level of informedness concerning each initiative; perceptions of self interest; and various political indicators, including partisan identification, ideology, degree of cynicism concerning state politics, and perceptions of state budget waste. Findings suggest similar patterns of support and opposition among citizens in both states, with perceptions of high state waste and political cynicism strongly associated with support for tax and expenditure limitation in Washington and opposition to the adoption of a sales tax in Oregon.     

What drives unconventional political participation? A two level study

There is little evidence on the factors that drive peaceful unconventional political participation. This study evaluates the impact of seven individual level constituents – age, income, education, gender, satisfaction with the government, engagement in civil society organizations and voting – as well as five macro-level factors – economic development, democratic experience, income inequalities, a country's regime type and federalism – on citizens’ participation in boycotts, demonstrations and petition signing activities. Participation in all three protest activities hinges on education, voting, participation in civil society organizations, and lack of satisfaction with the government. Moreover, the influence of some macro-factors, such as democratic experience and economic development, and micro-level factors, such as gender differs between the three forms of political engagement.     

Quacks and Clerks: Historical and Contemporary Perspectives on the Structure and Function of the British Medical Civil Service

The British government's requirement for expert medical advice from the 1850s led to the development of a medical civil service, which reached its peak in size and authority in the 1970s. By this time the Chief Medical Officer (CMO) had direct management of a staff of over 170 medically qualified civil servants, who provided expertise on the development and implementation of new medical treatments as well as on broader health protection and promotion issues. The successive Whitehall efficiency reviews from 1979 onwards culminated in 1994 in the merger of the parallel medical and civil service reporting hierarchies in the Department of Health, effectively reducing the CMO's ability to call upon the support of medical civil servants, at a time of increasing new health threats such as AIDS and MRSA. This article uses government reports to chart the rise and fall of the British medical civil service. It discusses how, in the last ten years, the British government has become more imaginative in its use of temporary specialist medical advisers (tsars) brought in from the NHS, in relaxing the formal civil service hierarchies, and quietly abandoning the statutory Standing Medical Advisory Committee (SMAC). This article suggests that when the government has failed to give adequate support to its CMOs, the medical civil service has suffered from poor morale, experienced recruitment difficulties, and the ability to respond to health crises has been compromised. It highlights the chronic lack of historical awareness in the development of health policy in Britain.     

Civil society in Canada: A case study of rural and urban planning contexts

This paper explores the political concept of civil society and its emergence in multi-level rural and urban planning contexts. The first section conceptualizes civil society in the broader context within which it develops and we discuss global civil society to establish the need for a more local and regional focus. We then present considerations for assessing civil society and outline the research approach. The second section presents two case examples: (1) rural civil society in British Columbia, Canada focusing on the socio-political environment that enabled a shift away from conventional top-down, state-led forest management to devolved local control, and; (2) urban civil society in Waterloo Region, Ontario, which illustrates the response of local organizations to the wider socio-economic problems of housing provision in the Region. In both rural and urban contexts, there was longstanding tacit local support for each cause but significant triggers were needed to open policy windows and enable civil society organizations to help shift management ideologies in the forestry and housing sectors. Empowering civil actors through, for example, the devolution of decision making and responsibilities, and the redistribution of resources, helped to foster forms of legitimacy needed for emerging local and regional civil society organizations and networks.     

Social Workers’ Perceptions of Job Satisfaction,Interdisciplinary Collaboration,and Organizational Leadership

ABSTRACT

To address job satisfaction, and therefore employment retention, of hospice social workers, this study examined how relationships with other members of the interdisciplinary hospice team and perceptions of hospice leadership may be associated with job satisfaction of hospice social workers. The sample of 203 hospice social workers was recruited by e-mailing invitations to hospice social workers identified by hospice directors in three states, use of online social media sites accessed by hospice social workers, and snowball sampling. Study measures included professional experience, hospice characteristics, interdisciplinary collaboration, perception of servant leadership, and intrinsic and extrinsic job satisfaction. Variables significant in the model for intrinsic satisfaction were perception of servant leadership, interdisciplinary collaboration, and feeling valued by the hospice physician. Variables significant in the model for extrinsic satisfaction were perception of servant leadership, interdisciplinary collaboration, feeling valued by the hospice physician, and number of social workers at the hospice. Interdisciplinary collaboration was more important for intrinsic job satisfaction and leadership style was more important for extrinsic job satisfaction. Profit status of the hospice, experience of the social worker, caseload size, and other variables were not significant in either model. These results support previous findings that leadership style of the hospice director and relationships with hospice colleagues are important for hospice social workers’ job satisfaction. Such low-cost modifications to the hospice work environment, albeit not simple, may improve job satisfaction of hospice social workers.     

论公民社会与社会工作——公民社会视角下的中国社会工作

回顾改革开放以来的几十年,中国正在由一个高度政治化的社会向一个多元化的公民社会演变,政府职能开始转变,民间社会从政治权力中逐渐分离出来,并显示了巨大的能量。大政府、小社会的政治格局正在发生变化,社会工作在这一背景下也在悄悄的改变。本文就是具体论述在这一转变之后,社会工作和公民社会间的关系。首先对公民社会中的社会工作进行宏观考察,分析公民社会下社会工作、国家权力和公民三者之间的关系。公民社会与社会工作之间存在互动的关系。两者之间相互影响,相互作用。社会工作对公民社会的作用有:社会工作为公民提供帮助,救助公民于危难之时;社会工作帮助公民解困;社会工作帮助公民更好地发展。公民社会对社会工作的作用:公民社会监督社会工作组织;公民社会监督和保护社会工作者;公民社会在经济上支持社会工作。     

论公民社会与社会工作——公民社会视角下的中国社会工作

回顾改革开放以来的几十年,中国正在由一个高度政治化的社会向一个多元化的公民社会演变,政府职能开始转变,民间社会从政治权力中逐渐分离出来,并显示了巨大的能量。大政府、小社会的政治格局正在发生变化,社会工作在这一背景下也在悄悄的改变。本文就是具体论述在这一转变之后,社会工作和公民社会间的关系。首先对公民社会中的社会工作进行宏观考察,分析公民社会下社会工作、国家权力和公民三者之间的关系。公民社会与社会工作之间存在互动的关系。两者之间相互影响,相互作用。社会工作对公民社会的作用有:社会工作为公民提供帮助,救助公民于危难之时;社会工作帮助公民解困;社会工作帮助公民更好地发展。公民社会对社会工作的作用:公民社会监督社会工作组织;公民社会监督和保护社会工作者;公民社会在经济上支持社会工作。     

Job satisfaction and ‘welfare‐to‐work‘: is any job a good job for Australian single mothers?

This exploratory study sought to assess the job satisfaction of employed Australian single mothers who had mandatory employment participation requirements. In particular, we sought to identify the characteristics of the job and the individual that were closely associated with participant's job satisfaction. Self‐report data on job satisfaction, employment characteristics and parenting stress were collected from 155 employed single mothers. Participant job satisfaction was compared to female Australian population norms and linear regression analyses determined the job‐related and individual predictors of single mothers' job satisfaction. Findings from this exploratory study revealed that single mothers involved in a mandatory welfare‐to‐work program experienced significantly lower job satisfaction than the Australian female population. The individual variable, parental distress, negatively predicted each of the six job satisfaction domains while being employed on a casual basis was inversely associated with three domains (job security, work hours and overall job satisfaction). The Australian government purported that making the transition from welfare to work would improve wellbeing for program participants, under the assumption that ‘any job's a good job‘. However, the relatively low levels of job satisfaction experienced by single mothers in the current study provide little support for this assumption.     

提升公务员道德修养的途径探索——国家公务员考试增设《道德修养》科目的必要性和现实性

公务员道德是公务员素质之魂,国家公务员道德修养的高低对社会风尚的形成和政府工作的成败产生着直接的根本的影响,因此,在公开选拔公务员中注重道德修养就显得尤为重要。然而目前设置的公务员公共考试科目却只重视了公务员能力的测试,忽略了道德修养的测试。本文从历史和现实的角度分析、阐述了加试"公务员道德修养"的必要性和迫切性,并对考试的方法提出了自己的见解。     

平等的张力与诉求——马歇尔公民资格理论及对中国构建和谐社会的启示

1949年英国社会学家马歇尔提出了公民资格理论,认为公民资格权利由公民权利、政治权利和社会权利构成,并详细描述了英国公民资格的发展历程,认为英国公民权利的发展呈现了线性发展的特征,“公民权利变成了集体谈判的基础,政治权利促进了公众舆论和国民意识,从而公民权利和政治权利的使用增强了争取社会权利的压力性.”新中国成立后,我国公民资格权利的发展经历了一个曲折的过程.改革开放前,国家与社会高度重合,社会各领域都受到政治国家的支配,公民资格权利难有实质性进展.改革开放后公民资格的三种权利都取得了长足发展和进步.我国正处在市场经济建设的关键时期,借鉴马歇尔的公民资格理论,在差异化的市场过程中,不断通过多元化的努力寻求公民资格平等的价值主张,是我们当前建设和谐社会的不竭动力.     

Relationships among financial satisfaction,life satisfaction,and political action: A comparative study of the United States and South Korea

This study explores the potential impact of cultural orientation on the relationship between financial satisfaction, life satisfaction, and political action within the United States and South Korea. The total sample size was 3,432 individuals (United States = 2,232, South Korea = 1,200). 1 confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) model and a path analysis model were assessed using a maximum likelihood estimation. The findings showed a strong positive relationship between financial satisfaction and life satisfaction in both countries. Also, in both countries, more progressive individuals participated in more political actions. When exploring political action, we find an inverse relationship—with greater political action among lower‐income individuals in the United States and greater political action among higher‐income in South Korea. In South Korea (culturally “collectivistic”), middle‐income individuals were also found to participate in political actions that likely benefit larger segments of society. From a cultural dimensions theory perspective, these data suggest political actions in the United States (classified as “individualistic”) were largely conducted by low‐income individuals, potentially as means to enhance their individual well‐being.     

责任政府及其公务员职责

"主权在民"思想和代议民主制的产生促进了责任政府的产生。在责任政府建立过程中,各国逐步确立起政府及其公务员对人民承担责任的责任体系。责任政府中公务员的职责应包括作为善良管理人所应具有的两大方面,即要履行注意和忠诚的义务。     

Dialogues or polemics: Social science expertise and welfare reform in Quebec

The development of social assistance and poverty reduction policies has been informed by social scientific knowledge. Social scientists, however, are not of one mind on such matters. They tend to be divided along disciplinary and ideological lines and may even foster political divisions and conflicts. This article draws on the author's experience as an academic policy adviser to the Quebec government to analyse from up close the institutional context that facilitates knowledge utilisation in the policy process. Two reform processes are considered: the first one, between 1995 and 1998, was less collaborative and led to divisions, and the second, between 1997 and 2009, involved more interactions with the civil service and proved more fruitful. In both cases, experts were divided, as were politicians and civil servants, but their capacity to reach a consensus was fostered, in the second case, by better support and collaboration from the government.     

National pension systems and mass opinion: a case study of confidence, satisfaction and political attitudes in Norway

It is commonly assumed that popular support for national pension systems depends on widespread satisfaction with projected benefit levels among the working age population, and in particular that public support for the system will be jeopardised if the taxpayers do not feel confident about eventually receiving the promised benefits. On the basis of Norwegian survey data, two sets of questions are addressed in the article: (1) Is there a widespread lack of confidence in and satisfaction with the Norwegian National Insurance pension scheme? and (2) Is there an association between confidence and satisfaction and people's political attitudes towards the National Insurance pension scheme? Although we do not find any signs of a dramatic erosion of confidence towards the system, we do find that overall satisfaction with projected benefits is low among the working age population. Contrary to what one might expect, however, confidence and satisfaction from the point of view of individual interests appear not to be associated with a political preference for privatisation.     

转型期的中国公民社会：发展与前瞻

随着市场经济和民主政治的发展,中国的公民社会正在迅速崛起。公民社会能够沟通政府与公民,重塑政府与社会的关系,制约政府权力,推进民主进程,有效解决社会矛盾与冲突。中国公民社会的发展面临着历史文化传统、当政者的价值理念、政治制度环境、市场经济的不完善发展、公民社会自身的缺陷等一系列现实障碍。我国应该正视当下公民社会官民二重性的客观现实,借鉴后发国家已经成功的法团主义路径,探索具有中国特色的道路,实现由国家法团主义向社会法团主义的转型。     

In the Eye of the Storm: Civil Servants and Managers in the UK Department of Health

In the wake of the 2008 financial crisis, the UK government faces some tough choices over public expenditure, and these choices will have important implications for both the future of health policy and the way in which health services are managed. In this article, we examine the organization and leadership of the UK Department of Health and weigh its suitability to meet such challenges. We find an organization that is culturally split between public servants and managers, highly reliant on the ability of its key personnel to bridge these divides, and extremely responsive to the political goals of government ministers. We explore the modern DH using three types of evidence. First, the history of the department shows clear political efforts to reduce civil service discretion and focus the DH on the management of the English NHS. Second, the recent organizational structures of the DH show a bifurcation between policy direction and NHS management tasks. Third, an analysis of the top ranks of the department since 2005 shows the implementation of political preferences that are consistent with managerialism but inconsistent with the perceived characteristics of traditional civil servants. The result is a department which has changed just as frequently as the health service it oversees – a department which has been moulded by successive ministers into one for the management of the NHS. Our findings raise important questions about the value and purpose of long‐term organizational knowledge in policy formulation.     

Challenges and Dilemmas of Civil Society movements in India

Civil Society spaces provide citizens opportunities to frame their collective identities and interests through the formation of voluntary interest groups and organisations set to specific purposes. In the west, historically these interest groups have contributed to the development of political thought that assisted to forge the economic interests of emerging bourgeoisie. This paper situated in the context of India begins with a thematic perspective and reviews the challenges that emerge as a result of the demands that emerge within the civil society space. The paper considered three broad range organizations for this review such as the Narmada Bachao Andolan (Save the river Narmada Campaign); National Alliance for People's Movement (NAPM); and the Self‐Employed Women's Association (SEWA). The authors see civil society as a conciliating place—where individual interests appear to mingle with societal requirements while providing adequate representation to the marginalized groups and expression of concerns around economic and environmental rights.     

Democracy,Participation, and Life Satisfaction*

Objectives. We examine whether democracy, political participation, and differing systems of democracy influence individual levels of subjective well‐being. Methods. We use individual data on life satisfaction and characteristics related to satisfaction for approximately 46 countries. We estimate ordered probit models with country and time dummy variables and cluster‐adjusted robust standard errors. Results. Democracy is positively correlated with individual levels of well‐being. The opportunity to participate in the political process and whether the democracy is parliamentary or presidential are related to individual well‐being. Conclusions. Democratic institutions influence subjective well‐being. The well‐being of individuals with minority political views decreases in parliamentary systems.     

The Population's Confidence in the Child Protection System – A Survey Study of England,Finland, Norway and the United States (California)

This article examines the confidence the population (N = 4,003) has in the child welfare system in four countries – England, Finland, Norway and the USA (California). We find that about half or less of the population reports having confidence in the system, which is slightly higher than the confidence in the civil servants in the same countries. The Nordic countries display more confidence in the child welfare system than the Anglo‐American countries. The similarity between the countries is, however, greater than anticipated. As for independent variables that can shed light on differences in confidence levels, we find three variables to be related to a higher confidence level, and these are a left wing political orientation, lower age, and higher education. This study contributes in filling a knowledge gap on studies about trust in the child welfare system, but we emphasize that we have studied an aspect of trust that rests on the population's impressions of a system, and not their substantial knowledge about, or identification with, this system.     

Professional Identity,Job Satisfaction,and Retention of Licensed Social Workers in Korea

This paper reports the results from a survey of 735 social workers in South Korea on their professional identity as a social worker, job satisfaction, and intention to leave the profession. The overall result shows that there was a high level of job satisfaction. Social workers' intention to leave the profession was significantly related to their integrated feelings of professional identity. This relationship was partially mediated by job satisfaction. Social workers' sense of professional identity can be tapped to help social workers feel adequate to carry out their professional responsibility. Boundaries of their practice should be well defined.