Culture, institutions, and long-run performance

If institutions are essential for long-run performance, why don’t developing countries adopt institutions in developed countries to become rich? In this dynamic model, culture affects a ruler’s institutional choice, while culture itself evolves endogenously. Multiple stable steady states are possible, and even similar initial conditions can lead to dramatically different steady states. The state of Qin’s unification of China in 221 BC is used to illustrate the model. In one steady state, consistent with what happened in the state of Qin, individuals value material incentives. Qin did not strictly practice the patriarchal clan system advocated by Confucianism. Qin adopted Legalist institutions under which government officials were chosen by merit, and Qin culture was further shaped by Legalism. In another steady state, consistent with what happened in states other than Qin, individuals value loyalty and family values. Those states chose not to adopt Legalist institutions comprehensively for fearing that inconsistencies between culture and institutions could lead to internal rebellions even though institutional reforms would increase their military power. Other cases of how the interdependence between culture and institutions affects performance are also discussed

More sight than sound: extra-musical qualities of the Qin

No abstract available

Evidence

Pirazzoli-t'Serstevens Michèle. Michael Loewe, A Biographical Dictionary of the Qin, Former Han and Xin Periods (221 BC-AD 24), (Handbook of Oriental Studies, China, volume 16), 2000 Michael Loewe, The Men Who Governed Han China. Companion to A Biographical Dictionary of the Qin, Former Han and Xin Periods, Handbook of Oriental Studies, China, volume 17), 2004. In: Études chinoises, n°24, 2005. pp. 335-341

A Generic Conceptual Model for Risk Analysis in a Multi-agent Based Collaborative Design Environment

Organised by: Cranfield UniversityThis paper presents a generic conceptual model of risk evaluation in order to manage the risk through related constraints and variables under a multi-agent collaborative design environment. Initially, a hierarchy constraint network is developed to mapping constraints and variables. Then, an effective approximation technique named Risk Assessment Matrix is adopted to evaluate risk level and rank priority after probability quantification and consequence validation. Additionally, an Intelligent Data based Reasoning Methodology is expanded to deal with risk mitigation by combining inductive learning methods and reasoning consistency algorithms with feasible solution strategies. Finally, two empirical studies were conducted to validate the effectiveness and feasibility of the conceptual model.Mori Seiki – The Machine Tool Compan

Public Law by Private Bargain: Title VII Consent Decrees and the Fairness of Negotiated Institutional Reform

Large-scale Title VII remedies are typical of public law litigation, which differs in kind from the conventional compensatory lawsuit. Title VII remedies are commonly adopted by way of consent decrees. By approving these consent decrees, federal courts take responsibility for extensive institutional reforms while acting independently of the adversary process. Courts have frequently approved consent decrees without fair hearings for those whose interests are at stake. Professor Schwarzschild suggests a systematic procedure for approving Title VII consent decrees. This procedure would not discourage settlements, but would ensure that courts act on the basis of fair hearings, consistently with the quasi-legislative character of public law remedies

Shadow Banking and Systemic Risk in Europe and China

We compare the European and Chinese shadow banking systems. While the European shadow banking system is better developed than the Chinese shadow banking system, herd behavior and other factors in European markets create systemic risk, which contributed in part to the financial crisis. Dispersion of risk across the "under-developed" shadow banking system in China has led to some cases of localized, concentrated risk, but not to systemic risk. We discuss proposed European shadow banking regulation and its implications for systemic risk, and discuss what lessons China might glean from such policies. We also discuss what lessons China's diverse and systemically uncoordinated shadow banking sector might provide for Europe

Laozi benyi: politische Philosophie für die letzte Phase der Zeit

A classic offers us a multitude of possibilities for interpretation. The Laozi (老子), sometimes also titled Dao De Jing (道德經), is no doubt one of the most influential and controversial philosophical Chinese classics, and it has inspired numerous annotations and interpretations ever since pre-Qin times (221 B.C.–206 B.C.). This paper aims to analyse the interpretation and annotation of the Laozi by Wei Yuan, a scholar from the Qing dynasty (1644–1911), written roughly two thousand years after the original text was created.Klasik nam nudi mnoštvo mogućnosti za interpretaciju. Laozi (老子), ponekad zvan Dao De Jing (道德經), bez sumnje je jedan od najutjecajnijih i najkontroverznijih kineskih filozofskih klasika, te je inspirirao brojne komentare i tumačenja još od vremena prije Qin dinastije (221.– 206. pr. Kr.) Ovaj članak nastoji analizirati komentar i tumačenje Laozia od strane Wei Yuana, učenjaka iz razdoblja dinastije Qing (1644.–1911.), napisane gotovo dvije tisuće godina nakon originalnoga teksta.Un classique nous offre une multitude de possibilités pour l’interprétation. Laozi (老子), connu également sous le nom de Dao De Jing, est sans aucuns doutes l’un des philosophes classiques chinois les plus influents et controversés qui a inspiré un nombre important de commentaires et d’interprétations avant la dynastie Qin (221–206 av. J.-C). Cette article tente d’analyser le commentaire et l’interprétation de Laozi par Wei Yuana, étudiant durant la période de la dynastie Qing (1664–1911), écrit pratiquement deux mille ans après le texte original.Der Klassiker bietet uns eine Vielfalt an Interpretationsmöglichkeiten. Laozi (老子), manchmal auch Daodejing (道德經) betitelt, ist zweifellos einer der einflussreichsten und umstrittensten chinesischen philosophischen Klassiker, und hat zahlreiche Anmerkungen und Interpretationen noch seit der Vor-Qin-Zeit (Qin-Dynastie.: 221 v. Chr. – 206 v. Chr.) inspiriert. Dieser Artikel setzt sich zum Ziel, Wei Yuans (ein Gelehrter aus der Zeit der Qing-Dynastie, 1644–1911) Interpretation von und Anmerkung über Laozi abzuhandeln, die ungefähr zweitausend Jahre nach der Verfassung des ursprünglichen Textes geschrieben wurde

A pilot inference study for a beta-Bernoulli spatial scan statistic

The Bernoulli spatial scan statistic is used to detect localised clusters in binary labelled point data, such as that used in spatial or spatio-temporal case/control studies. We test the inferential capability of a recently developed beta-Bernoulli spatial scan statistic, which adds a beta prior to the original statistic. This pilot study, which includes two test scenarios with 6,000 data sets each, suggests a marked increase in power for a given false alert rate. We suggest a more extensive study would be worthwhile to corroborate the findings. We also speculate on an explanation for the observed improvement