Extending social security coverage to the rural sector in China

In late 2009 China launched an innovative, voluntary programme that by 2011 had extended pension coverage to 326.4 million people in the rural sector, including contributors and beneficiaries. It requires one contribution per year and provides a flat‐rate benefit and a contributions‐related benefit through a contributory individual account, with a government guarantee that the benefit will continue for life. The programme encourages participation of persons who do not pay income taxes, and thus have no tax incentive to participate, by providing substantial government subsidies. As a further incentive, old‐age benefits are provided to older parents when all their adult children participate in the contributory programme.     

The performance of the income protection system for older adults in Ecuador and future challenges

The objective of this article is to analyse the performance of Ecuador’s pension system and the challenges it will face in the future. Over the last 13 years, the pension system has made significant advances in terms of coverage and adequacy. However, demographic ageing is straining the financial sustainability of the contributory scheme. In this context, a number of public policy areas are identified, in terms of parameters and structures, which, together with the expansion of non-contributory coverage, could provide a more equitable and sustainable scheme.     

Electronic payment mechanisms in social security: Extending the reach of benefit and contribution transactions

More often than not, the existing modes of contribution collection and benefit payment of social security organizations are adapted to the collective arrangements that characterize employer‐employee relationships. Extending coverage to individuals in difficult‐to‐reach groups, however, may require new modalities of service that can cope with many separate, secure transactions rather than a few bulk data transfers between organizations. Recent developments in electronic payment show its wide applicability in enabling huge volumes of such individual transactions. It is in this light that the article explores the potentials of this technology and identifies possible arrangements through which electronic payments could surmount barriers that stand in the way of covering difficult‐to‐reach groups. The high level of mobile phone penetration on a global scale augurs well for using e‐payment mechanisms to collect social security contributions and to deliver social security benefits and services. A generic model is used to describe the requisite elements to implement electronic payments in social protection programmes. Based on empirical evidence of current social protection practices from around the world, five scenarios are presented to describe possible configurations for electronic payment, from the simplest to the most sophisticated. The broader objective is to contribute in a practical manner to the international commitment to extend social protection to all, as defined by the 2030 Sustainable Development Goals.     

The gender gap in pensions in Latin America

Lower female lifetime labour market participation rates, greater interruptions during their working lives, and wage gaps contribute to create gender gaps in pensions at the time of retirement. The design of social security systems may reinforce or attenuate these gaps. This article provides new evidence on gender gaps in access to pensions and in pension income in four Southern Cone countries in Latin America and analyses their evolution between 2000 and 2013, showing significant improvements in both gaps, with differential patterns by countries. The decrease in the gender gap in pension income has been particularly significant in Argentina and Brazil. In both cases, the largest increases in pension values during the period correspond to the lowest income percentiles, where women are overrepresented. The application of redistributive policies in these countries, aimed at reducing poverty and inequality but not necessarily focused on gender equity, has had positive and probably unintended consequences in terms of reduction in gender gaps in pensions.     

回到海德格尔

在海德格尔的全部学术思想发展进程中,始终同步存在着两种完全不同的思之道路和双重思想构境——"克服形而上学"的争执性思想场域和"绝弃存在"的本有诗性之思境。克服形而上学,就是在重返柏拉图和亚里士多德的开启的第一开端中,超越性地让存在者归基,即重新扎根于作为其真实根据的存在。"绝弃存在"这条全新道路的基石却是被打上叉的存在,即"存有"(Seyn)历史之思,在这条没有了理性炫目之光的幽暗小径上,打开一切存在的涌现和用在性将为存在之弃让所替代,解蔽之真理性认知和逻各斯之主导性追问生成的抽象聚集,将为存有的基础性追问中的真理本现和归隐所取代。在海德格尔的思想发展中,根本不存在断裂式的思想转向,只有一个海德格尔!只是这个海德格尔在对希腊原初本原之境的双重返回中,同时置身于"第一开端"的形而上学之路解构之战和在"另一开端"的本有之思中的道说本现之中。应该说,海德格尔在两个思想构境层中的辛苦努力都是一贯到底的。     

论《吕氏春秋》农学思想与《周易》及《老子》

《吕氏春秋》倡导重农的政策思想主要是对《老子》“圣人之治”理论的继承和发展,体现在：“朴”的政治哲学,“不尚贤”的政治主张和老子“小国寡民”的政治情怀。《老子》与《吕氏春秋》之间有两条主轴贯穿始终：一是以老子政治哲学为主的道家“无为”思想,《吕氏春秋》将其浸透在重农政策中;二是《周易》、《老子》思维方式在《吕氏春秋》中的体现,具体表现在《吕氏春秋》的言说方式和言说内容具有正反相合、注重“天地人”三者融通与和谐的整体性思维特点。而《周易》、《老子》的流传与演变,为《吕氏春秋》的思想内容、思维方式和言说特点提供了方便之门。     

从《非（国语〉》看柳宗元的历史著作观

柳宗元通过对《国语》一书中所记载的历史事件、历史现象的批驳，阐述了关于历史著作的一些观点和看法。柳宗元认为历史著作应注重内容的真实，写作内容应有所选择，应简洁，前后一致，并具有教育的功能。在一定程度上，柳宗元的历史著作观也是其经学著作观，反映了柳宗元对经学文献的看法，体现了柳宗元的经学研究观念，反映了中唐时期经学、史学的变化。柳宗元的历史著作观与其哲学观、历史观密不可分。     

论君特·格拉斯小说的怪诞风格

怪诞既是君特·格拉斯小说的一大艺术特色,也令其晦涩难懂。文章以格拉斯的几部代表作为例,对格拉斯小说中怪诞的体现形式进行分析梳理,并对其作用和意义进行归纳总结,以探寻格拉斯的创作理念和美学思想。     

道德共识何以达成——哈贝马斯的商谈伦理及其现实道路

哈贝马斯对商谈伦理原则的践行即是如何达到商谈伦理的普遍化以及对现实道路的探索,以秉承启蒙理性的精神。交往理性的现实指向就是商谈伦理与普遍共识,使主体能在没有任何强制和任何约束的环境下进行诚实的交往与对话,以达至相互理解,这是哈贝马斯商谈伦理的宗旨。这种重构的商谈伦理学秉持着两个基本原则,即可普遍化原则和话语伦理学原则,通过商谈伦理所达成的道德共识中,交往理性实现了多元声音中的统一性,从而使道德乌托邦得以可能。     

诸子“务为治”与《吕氏春秋》杂家特色的形成

《吕氏春秋》杂而成家不仅在于兼容并蓄,而且有系统的思想体系即以政治理论为主旨。司马谈《论六家要旨》谓先秦诸子各家皆＂务为治＂,深刻指出了其中＂知人＂、＂为治＂的参政目的。正因为诸子各家皆＂务为治＂才促进了《吕氏春秋》杂家特色的形成,同时该书杂而成家及突出的政治理论思想,也正是诸子各家因＂务为治＂而融通发展的集中表现。