Democracy, credibility and clientelism

The authors demonstrate that sharply different policy choices across democracies can be explained as a consequence of differences in the ability of political competitors to make credible pre-electoral commitments to voters. Politicians can overcome their credibility deficit in two ways. First, they can build reputations. This requires that they fulfill preconditions that in practice are costly: informing voters of their promises; tracking those promises; ensuring that voters turn out on election day. Alternatively, they can rely on intermediaries -- patrons - who are already able to make credible commitments to their clients. Endogenizing credibility in this way, the authors find that targeted transfers and corruption are higher and public good provision lower than in democracies in which political competitors can make credible pre-electoral promises. The authors also argue that in the absence of political credibility, political reliance on patrons enhances welfare in the short-run, in contrast to the traditional view that clientelism in politics is a source of significant policy distortion. However, in the long run reliance on patrons may undermine the emergence of credible political parties. The model helps to explain several puzzles. For example, public investment and corruption are higher in young democracies than old; and democratizing reforms succeeded remarkably in Victorian England, in contrast to the more difficult experiences of many democratizing countries, such as the Dominican Republic.Environmental Economics&Policies,Decentralization,Election Systems,Economic Theory&Research,Labor Policies,Economic Theory&Research,Environmental Economics&Policies,National Governance,Parliamentary Government,Politics and Government

The spiritual meanning of illness-theological and psychological perspective

Definying illness is not an easy process, nor from medical perspective nor from theological one or individual perspective. However, the most important and truely significant seems to be the latter; how the contemporary man defines illnesses and how he uses this process to redefine his true being. Nowadays we face an obvious spiritual crisis meant to urge each of us to start a new process of redefining our spiritual identity. This paper is intented to remind us of the essence of our being on the one hand and of the Christian duty to fight against illness on the other hand, to bear permanently with us the model of Jesus, of the Holly Parents, who were subject to deseases also out of reasons that are related to God’s iconomy. The limits of medicine are visible there where miracles start to reveal themselves and the healing of the body symbolizes and announces the healing of the entire Being

Autonomy and Orthodox Diaspora from the Point of View of the Documents Adopted by the Holy and Great Council

 Since the beginning of the debates on the topics which could be discussed at the Orthodox Church"™s Synod, autocephaly, autonomy, the Orthodox diaspora and the diptychs were part of the proposed themes. Their analysis during the preparatory process highlighted the fact that Orthodox Churches cannot reach a consensus regarding two of them: autocephaly and diptychs. Under these conditions, the Synaxis of the Orthodox Church"™s primates, convened in Constantinople in 2014, decided to withdraw them from the agenda. Out of the four above"mentioned themes only Autonomy and the Means by Which it is Proclaimed  and The Orthodox Diaspora were kept for debate and approval. In this paper I will briefly analyse these two documents, emphasising the contribution of the Synod to the clarification of the topics, highlighting some fundamental elements, and aspects that are as yet unresolved. Keywords:  autonomy, diaspora, Holy and Great Council, Canon Law, canons, synodality, diptych

Coagulation characteristics of electrochemically prepared polyaluminium chloride on humac acid removal from water

The treatment of surface natural water for drinking water production goes through the degradation of humic substances. The increasing demand of more efficient coagulation water treatment, especially regarding the removal of natural organic matter (NOM), has lead to the development of a new category of coagulants, the pre-polymerised inorganic coagulants, such as polyaluminium chloride (PAC). An alternative preparation procedure for PAC (prehydrolyzed aluminium chloride with general formula Alm(OH)nCl3n-m) is presented in this paper. Using the principles of coagulant preparation and of the electrolysis process, the proposed procedure is based on the use a new method for the preparation of electrochemically obtained PAC (E-PAC) in an electrochemical reactor, equipped with plain-plate A1 anodes and stainless steel cathodes, and AICI3 aqueous solution as electrolyte, applied with successfully in our laboratory. Coagulation behaviors of E-PAC and conventional coagulants as alum and commercial product PAC were compared, using the so-called „Jar test" procedure, in accordance with water treatment standards, to remove humic acid (HA) from deionized water with addition of lmg/L of humic acid (commercial HA powder), selected for this study, due to the fact that it is a principal component of humic substances, which are typically the major component of NOM in water supplies. As part of the applied procedures, the level of residual turbidity, the amount of total organic carbon, the UV-254 absorbance and colour were evaluated, in oerder to assess the efficiency of the coagulation process in all situations (PAC, E-PAC and alum as coagulants). The results suggest than the electrochemically obtained E-PAC can be alternatively produced by electrolysis process easily controlled, resulting a product with better properties than the commercial PAC used for comparison to remove humic acid from synthetic water

THE CONCEPT OF SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT THROUGH ECONOMIC GROWTH AND DIVERSIFICATION OF THE LABOUR MARKET IN THE INDUSTRIAL AREAS AFFECTED BY RESTRUCTURING

In the context of what is implemented through dualism "ecosystem-efficient", sustainable development involves the care of the human potential of the present situation and the future of its natural resources, energy, materials and information. As an effect of responsibility for future generations, the efficient use of resources requires, at the same time, the operation of a sustainable economy, by diversification and development of the labour market in order to meet present and future demands of human society. At local and regional level, through the closing of mines and large enterprises, with an effect in restructuring the economic sector and employment, development strategies and rehabilitation of the affected industrial areas as a common principle approach, analyzing the problems, defining the objectives and policies, identifying actions to attack problems and provide for mechanisms that will enable the progress control. In this paper it is presented the concept of sustainable development as imperative for economic growth, diversification and development of the labour market, being dealt the representative criteria and principles of sustainable development strategy of any company. Are defined the components and objectives of a strategy for local and regional development of industrial areas affected by the restructuring