Consumption and Social Welfare Politics: The Effect of Credit and China

Analyzing data from 20 OECD countries over the period of 1995-2007, the present article investigates whether the factors that contributed to households’ consumption opportunities have had any impact on the way governments in advanced societies respond to income inequalities. In addressing this question, the article particularly focuses on access to credit, and low-wage imports, from China in particular, as two mechanisms that have contributed to an increase in household consumption opportunities. The results show a highly significant inverse relation between these two factors and social welfare effort. As imports from China and availability of credit increase, the social welfare effort seems to decrease. These findings prompt us to think beyond the established arguments about progressive politics in the neoliberal era. The article also contributes to the burgeoning literature on the political and social implications of credit expansion, and of the rise of China in world trade.

State and Economic Informality in a Comparative Perspective

This article undertakes an analysis of internationally comparable data to examine the relationship between state regulation and the informal economy at the macro level across a broad set of countries. The findings shed light on the question of why economic informality is more prevalent in some nations than others. The author shows that the regulatory environments within which economic activities operate vary across countries in terms of the degree of state’s regulation of economic activities (low vs. high), and the quality of legal enforcement (effective vs. ineffective). The reason why some countries have less informality in their economies than others has much to do with the prevailing regulatory environment. It is in regulatory environments combining a low regulatory load with effective law enforcement institutions where we find the size of the informal economy to be smallest. Conversely, the highest levels of informality are found in countries that have a high degree of regulation in the economy coupled with ineffective enforcement. The results also provide insight as to why decreasing the degree of regulation cannot necessarily be expected to lead to formalization in the economy as the neoliberal orthodoxy has prescribed

State and Economic Informality in a Comparative Perspective

This article undertakes an analysis of internationally comparable data to examine the relationship between state regulation and the informal economy at the macro level across a broad set of countries. The findings shed light on the question of why economic informality is more prevalent in some nations than others. The author shows that the regulatory environments within which economic activities operate vary across countries in terms of the degree of state’s regulation of economic activities (low vs. high), and the quality of legal enforcement (effective vs. ineffective). The reason why some countries have less informality in their economies than others has much to do with the prevailing regulatory environment. It is in regulatory environments combining a low regulatory load with effective law enforcement institutions where we find the size of the informal economy to be smallest. Conversely, the highest levels of informality are found in countries that have a high degree of regulation in the economy coupled with ineffective enforcement. The results also provide insight as to why decreasing the degree of regulation cannot necessarily be expected to lead to formalization in the economy as the neoliberal orthodoxy has prescribed

United we restrain, divided we rule: Neoliberal Reforms and Labor Unions in Turkey and Mexico

This article explores the variation in state policy toward labor unions in the context of neoliberal market reforms by cross-examining the cases of Turkey and Mexico. Although taming the power of unions so as to decrease resistance to market reforms and increase labor market flexibility remained a somewhat common objective to the neoliberal agenda across nations, governments understood “labor’s challenge” in different ways, due to their nations’ distinct histories of unionization, and utilized different strategies and means to deal with it. We show that such differences help explain why the union movement in Turkey has become more centralized and concentrated in the neoliberal era, while the union movement in Mexico has become more fragmented and decentralized

The corneal endothelium after keratoplasty for keratoconus

<p>Background: The aim was to assess the corneal endothelium, post-operative visual outcome and complications following keratoplasty for keratoconus.</p> <p>Methods: Seventy-six corneal grafts (57 per cent penetrating keratoplasties and 43 per cent deep anterior lamellar keratoplasties) were assessed as part of routine follow-up at the Ophthalmology Department at Gartnavel General Hospital in Glasgow. Routine ophthalmic assessment included visual acuity, slitlamp biomicroscopy and scanning slit confocal microscopy of the central cornea. Case records were reviewed and demographic, surgical and post-operative data retrieved. Linear and logistic regression models were used to determine associations between endothelial cell density, visual acuity and post-operative complications. Kaplan–Meier analysis was used to estimate the probability for grafts to retain more than 700 endothelial cells per mm2 and to have 0.3 logMAR or better vision. Odds ratios were calculated to assess the risk for low cell counts and poor visual outcome.</p> <p>Results: The mean and standard deviation of the endothelial cell count was predictably higher in lamellar (2033 ± 643 cells per mm2) than penetrating keratoplasties (898 ± 380 cells per mm2) and the mean post-operative cell count for grafts without post-operative complications was higher (1585 ± 775) than those with complications (1312 ± 747 cells per mm2). Mean visual acuity was 0.25 ± 0.20 and 0.29 ± 0.41 for lamellar and penetrating keratoplasties, respectively. A higher number of post-operative events was associated with an increased risk for graft rejection (odds ratio 2.40, p = 0.008, multiple logistic regression) and with poorer visual outcome (odds ratio 1.38, p = 0.044). After keratoplasty, the visual outcome and endothelial cell density were not associated, either in penetrating or deep anterior lamellar grafts (p > 0.05).</p> <p>Conclusions: In keratoplasties performed for keratoconus, visual outcome cannot be predicted reliably by post-operative endothelial cell density but post-operative events can lead to poorer visual outcomes in both types of grafts.</p&gt