Different paths to the modern state in Europe: the interaction between domestic political economy and interstate competition

Theoretical work on state formation and capacity has focused mostly on early modern Europe and on the experience of western European states during this period. While a number of European states monopolized domestic tax collection and achieved gains in state capacity during the early modern era, for others revenues stagnated or even declined, and these variations motivated alternative hypotheses for determinants of fiscal and state capacity. In this study we test the basic hypotheses in the existing literature making use of the large date set we have compiled for all of the leading states across the continent. We find strong empirical support for two prevailing threads in the literature, arguing respectively that interstate wars and changes in economic structure towards an urbanized economy had positive fiscal impact. Regarding the main point of contention in the theoretical literature, whether it was representative or authoritarian political regimes that facilitated the gains in fiscal capacity, we do not find conclusive evidence that one performed better than the other. Instead, the empirical evidence we have gathered lends supports to the hypothesis that when under pressure of war, the fiscal performance of representative regimes was better in the more urbanized-commercial economies and the fiscal performance of authoritarian regimes was better in rural-agrarian economie

The tectonic evolution of Lake Eğirdir, West Turkey

Lake Eğirdir is one of the most important fresh-water lakes of Turkey. It has a tectonics-related origin. The area formed under a roughly N-S compressional tectonic regime during the Middle Miocene. The stresses caused slip faults west and east of Isparta Angle, and the lake formed at the junction of these faults. The area subsided between normal faults, thus creating the topographic condition required for a lake. The lacustrine sediments have fundamentally different lithologies. After the Late Miocene, central Anatolia started to move westwards, but western Anatolia moved in a SW direction along the South-western Anatolian Fault , which we suggest to have a left lateral slip, which caused that the Hoyran Basin moved t7 km towards the SW and rotated 40º counterclockwise relative to Lake Eğirdir

The tectonic evolution of Lake Eğirdir, West Turkey

Lake Eğirdir is one of the most important fresh-water lakes of Turkey. It has a tectonics-related origin. The area formed under a roughly N-S compressional tectonic regime during the Middle Miocene. The stresses caused slip faults west and east of Isparta Angle, and the lake formed at the junction of these faults. The area subsided between normal faults, thus creating the topographic condition required for a lake. The lacustrine sediments have fundamentally different lithologies. After the Late Miocene, central Anatolia started to move westwards, but western Anatolia moved in a SW direction along the South-western Anatolian Fault , which we suggest to have a left lateral slip, which caused that the Hoyran Basin moved t7 km towards the SW and rotated 40º counterclockwise relative to Lake Eğirdir

Use of Multivariate Statistics Methods to Determine Grain Size, Heavy Metal Distribution and Origins of Heavy Metals in Mersin Bay (Eastern Mediterranean) Coastal Sediments

WOS: 000317245800075The aim of the study was to determine variability, heavy Metal Content and potential origins of heavy metals of the sediments in a total of 60 locations representing coastal sediments of Mersin Bay,Grain size distribution and heavy metal contents were measured and multivariate statistical analyses were performed on obtained Values in grain size distribution, Oz-4, 5, 6, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 18, 19, 22 23, 46, 48, 49, 50 Stations showed a bimodal distribution. This distribution developed due to river networks near the locations. Heavy metals are sequenced as Cr, Mn, Sr, Ni, V, Zn, Co, Zr, Rb, Ce, Cu, Sc, Li, Y, Pb, As, Nb, Mg, Fe, Al, Th and U from the higher value to the lower value according to their abundance: According to frequency histogram, Ni, Fe, Al, which showed the highest concentration values among heavy metals came from short medium distance; while Cr, Ti and Mn came from short distance. Based on these findings it should be thought,that heavy Metal sources affecting Study area are in short distances to study area All the elements were represented with three sector principal component analysis. Total variances of Pb, As, U, Th, Sb, P, La, Ba, Na, K, W, Ce, Li and Rb elements which represent (F1) factor were explained by 30.591 %. Variance of Mn, Fe, V, Ti, Al, Zr, Y, Sc and Hf elements which represent (F2) factor were explained by 18.749'%. Total Variance of Mo, U, Sr, Ca, P, Ti, Nb and Ta elements which represent the third factor (F3) were explained by 14.512 %. These data are significantly consistent with the dendongram prepared according to coefitic correlation coefficients. Hierarchical group analysis dendorigram showed that Q-type cluster had a 50 % arbitrary Similarity level and that contamination generally occurred in group 3. It can be thought that similar groups had the same properties during contamination. In regression data performed according to Fe; "Model summary" (according to R-2 = 99.8 value) was Significantly adequate for Statistical data and "Anova". was highly reliable with 36 explanatory Variables. Heavy metals in the study area such as Cr, Mn, Ni, Zn, Co, Cu, Pb, Mg, Al, Cd, Sb and Ti might show toxic effects. Heavy metals, such as As, Ag, Fe, Mo And Sn should also be paid attention. Al, Fe, Ti, Mn, Cr, Ni, Co, Pb, Zn and V showed an anomaly according to Kizkalesi and Susanoglu coastal sand. Cr, Ni, Co, Mg, Ti, Fe and Mn increased due to Mersin Ophiolite. The areas where basie/ultrabasic rocks outcropped in the region can be considered as the source of natural contaminations. Anthropogenic factors, coastal sediments, coastal erosion and lithological effects are the main causes of contamination in the study area, which covers a very wide area. In addition, the port, river entrances, highway, urban wastes, tourist facilities and industrial sites increased the density of anthropogenic effect.Scientific Research Projects Unit of Akdeniz UniversityThis study contains a part of Master of Science thesis and Scientific Research Projects of Nigde University prepared by Ozlem CEVIK. The financial support of the Scientific Research Projects Unit of Akdeniz University is gratefully acknowledged

Multivariate Statistics and Heavy Metals Contamination in Beach Sediments from The Sakarya Canyon, Turkey

WOS: 000312621500066The aim of the study is to determine heavy metal contents and their possible origins that represent the variability of The Sakarya Canyon coastal sediments. In addition to determine the source of heavy metals (natural and anthropogenic), simple and multivariate statistical analyses were applied to the samples. In all the samples, ignition loss ratio is between 0.01-0.09. 47.26 % of the samples, which have 0.5-0.25 mm, show very good sorting. G10, G19, G20 and G21 reflect the conditions of the irregular sedimentary environment. The heavy metals, Fe, Mg, Ti, Cr, Zn, Pb and Cu, are considered to come from near regions according to frequency histograms. By principal component analysis (PCA; factor 1: 40.911 %; factor 2: 21.558 %; factor 3: 13.548 %) and cluster analysis, heavy metals were formed three (3) groups. According to hierarchical cluster analysis, Q-type cluster at the similarity level of 50 % form three (3) different groups and they show the same features during pollution. These results reveal that they are highly reliable data for statistical data of model summary (according to the value R-2 = 100) and Anova 21 explanation value. According to maximum abundances As:G4; Ni:G7; Mg, Ti, Mn, Fe, V, Cr, Co, Nb:G13; Cu, Zr, Sn:G20; Al, Zn, Ga, Cd, Pb:G22 stations showed the highest anomaly. Influence of anthropogenic can be constituted in this region coming from port wastes, mining operations, road pollution, urban wastes and industrial wastes.Scientific Research Projects Unit of Akdeniz UniversityThe financial support of the Scientific Research Projects Unit of Akdeniz University is gratefully acknowledged

A rights revolution in Europe? Regulatory and judicial approaches to nondiscrimination in insurance

In a recent decision, the European Court of Justice has ruled that insurers cannot discriminate on grounds of sex in setting premiums or determining benefits. This paper discusses the background to this decision. It asks whether we are seeing a US-style ‘rights revolution’, fuelled by judicial activism, as suggested by Dobbin et al’s hypothesis of ‘the strength of weak states’ or Kagan and Kelemen’s account of ‘adversarial legalism’. It is shown that neither of these theories captures the distinctive nature of the ECJ’s intervention. An industry-friendly policy was pursued in regulatory venues, but this was overridden by the ECJ’s interpretation of the fundamental right of equal treatment. However, it is also shown that the judicial defence of fundamental rights is a weak basis for social policy, and does not foreshadow a revolution in the development of social rights in Europe