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168,411 results on '"Capitalism"'

1. Democracy and Capitalism, Academic Style: Governance in Contemporary Higher Education.

Author

Rhoades, Gary

Abstract

Patterns of governance in U.S. higher education are being shaped by patterns of academic capitalism in a new economy. The past 30 years have seen a shift from an academy shaped by an "academic revolution" to one shaped by a "managerial revolution" of increasingly powerful strategic academic managers. The structure of the academy has changed, and is increasingly being defined economically as "academic capitalism." This paper elaborates on the implications of capitalism, academic style, for governance in contemporary U.S. colleges and universities. The discussion is organized around the basic themes that capitalism is (1) a mode of management; (2) a mode of production; and (3) a cultural system. Each of these themes is developed with regard to structures and patterns of governance in higher education. For each of the three themes, the paper discusses responses to the challenges in the form of mechanisms that build on and modify the shared governance model of the American Association of University Professors. (Contains 78 references.) (Author/SLD)

Published
2003

2. The Bill of Rights in Action, 2002-2003.

Author

Constitutional Rights Foundation, Los Angeles, CA. and Martz, Carlton

Abstract

This document includes the following issues of this journal: volume 18, number 3, Summer 2002; volume 18, number 4, Fall 2002; volume 19, number 2, Spring 2003; and volume 19, number 3, Summer 2003. The summer 2002 issue of "The Bill of Rights in Action" views problems related to victims of war. It focuses on the internment of Japanese Americans in camps during World War II, the court case that upheld it as constitutional, and subsequent attempts to compensate those held in the camps; examines the massacre of Chinese by Japanese troops just before World War II, and at the war crimes trial following the war; and examines how victims of World War II are attempting to get compensation through lawsuits. Each article includes questions for discussion and writing, a central activity, and a list of book for further reading. The Fall 2002 issue examines issues related to the environment; shows that humans have been experiencing environmental problems since the agricultural revolution; explores a current environmental issue, global warming; and discusses the Native American southwest and the environmental problems of the Anasazi people. Each article includes discussion questions and other activities for the classroom and addresses content standards. The spring 2003 issue looks at some historically important ideas and some issues surrounding intellectual property; examines Marxist ideas and theories of Communism; discusses social Darwinism and U.S. laissez-faire capitalism by exploring the ideas of social Darwinism espoused by Herbert Spence, ideas which significantly impacted the late 19th century U.S.; and discusses copying music and movies from the Internet and discusses current issues of intellectual property. Each article includes classroom activities. The summer 2003 issue examines three controversial issues that resonate today. The articles discuss competing visions put forward by three African-American leaders at the turn of the 20th century; explores the Armenian genocide that took place during World War I, which generated charges and counter charges among the Turkish and Armenian peoples.; and looks at the current controversial change in U.S. foreign policy. Each article includes classroom activities for discussion and writing and lists selections for further reading. (BT)

Published
2003

3. A View from the Outside In: Community Colleges as Entrepreneurial Community Learning Centers.

Author

League for Innovation in the Community Coll., Laguna Hills, CA. and Tarence, Zane

Abstract

According to this article, community colleges are seeking ways to increase revenue and become less dependent on traditional state revenue resources. Increasingly, college presidents and trustees are finding empty pockets and depleted state coffers, despite the effort and hours spent lobbying legislatures for funding to support strategic plans. With no clear path to funding, essential academic facilities, staffing, technology, and other projects are being put on hold. At the same time, community college enrollments are increasing at a dramatic rate. In an attempt to generate funds, administrations are beginning to pursue public-private partnerships wrapped around the educational services market. The author argues that community colleges are positioned to mediate educational services transactions between producers and consumers, creating value for both parties. Using market models, the article examines the position of the community colleges within the educational services space and makes a case for their market characteristics and potential revenue centers. The author suggests that community college leaders explore best-practices organizational models and methods for establishing community college consortia that can capitalize on the educational services market, as well as creating a business plan that details how the consortium will drive revenues and distribute profits. (Author/NB)

Published
2002

4. Making the 'Invisible Hand' Visible: The Case for Dialogue about Academic Capitalism.

Author

Awbery, Susan M.

Abstract

A quiet revolution is in the process of changing academe. This revolution has been termed "academic capitalism" by S. Slaughter and L. Leslie (1997). Their ideas are the springboard for a discussion of the need for a systemic view of change in postsecondary education and why all members of the academic community should become involved in the changes that are shaping the future of higher education. Academic capitalism is defined as institutional and professorial market or market-like efforts to secure external moneys. Public higher education institutions have become dependent on income sources beyond the federal government, and that process is already changing the roles, rewards, and structures of academic institutions. The major financial advantages of academic capitalism include the generation of funds to replace those lost by the decline in government funding and the increase in unrestricted funds through the generation of more tuition dollars. Nevertheless, those who believe in the "invisible hand of the market" (A. Smith, 1776/1996) must recognize the difference between short-term and long-term gains. If the way in which funds are generated leads to a loss of quality in the higher education system or results in the denial of access to a large segment of the population, long-term interests will have been surrendered to short-term goals. Academic capitalism is neither an inherent evil nor an unmitigated blessing. As a strategy with the potential to harm or benefit universities, it must be understood. There must be serious national dialogue about the quiet revolution taking place in higher education. (Contains 20 references.) (SLD)

Published
2002

5. The Struggle Over Lifelong Learning: A Marxist-Feminist Analysis.

Author

Mojab, Shahrzad and Gorman, Rachel

Abstract

Political and economic upheavals in the 1990s have left their mark on adult education. A major source of change is globalization of the capitalist economy and its restructuring, which make extraordinary demands on education, particularly adult education. Lifelong learning has become an ideological distraction shifting the burden of increasing adaptability to the worker and a ray of hope for a more democratic, engaged citizenry. A Marxist-feminist framework explains complex social relations that underpin the lifelong learning debate. Marxist feminism views feminism as a conscious intervention in the hierarchically organized regime of gender power. Instead of achieving prosperity for individual workers, reorganization of adult education is concurrent with emergence of a newly segmented working class. Talking about lifelong learning for a unified workforce is actually talking about a highly stratified group. By differentiating skills along lines of race and gender, workers with a wealth of skills, knowledge, and experience are devalued; the commodity value of white male labor continues to rise. An ever cheaper, ever more adaptable workforce is the only way to ensure continued growth of profit in a global capitalist system. As a citizen-centered project of social change, lifelong learning must invigorate its ties with social movements, without which it fails to achieve its full potential. (Contains 13 references.) (YLB)

Published
2001

6. The Achievement Ideology and Whiteness: 'Achieving Whiteness' or 'Achieving Middle Class?'

Author

Allen, Ricky Lee

Abstract

Over the past few decades, social reproduction theorists have criticized achievement ideology as a dominant and dominating myth that hides the true nature of class immobility. Social reproductionists' primary criticism of achievement ideology is that it blinds the working class, regardless of race or gender, to the possibilities of collective social action against capitalism. Although Marxist scholars only include race as an outcome of or afterthought to capitalism, there have been attempts to add race to the field of social reproduction theory. The problem of whiteness still haunts workers' struggles in that white Marxists tend to believe that a primary focus on race draws attention away from class analysis and class unity. By beginning their analysis with their focus on achieving middle class status, reproductionists miss a depth of knowledge on the larger force of achieving whiteness on working-class whites. Reproductionists argue that the working class exists because it allows the middle class to be regenerated. A similar argument can be made for race, namely, that it is a social construction and not a biological reality. Achievement ideology can no longer be perceived solely in terms of achieving middle class status. It must instead be viewed in more race-focused terms. (Contains 25 references.) (MN)

Published
2001

7. Focus: Economic Systems.

Author

National Council on Economic Education, New York, NY., McCorkle, Sarapage, Meszaros, Bonnie T., and Odorzynski, Sandra J.

Abstract

The "Focus" series, part of the National Council on Economic Education's (NCEE) EconomicsAmerica program, uses economics to enhance learning in subjects such as history, geography, civics, and personal finance, as well as economics. Activities are interactive, reflecting the belief that students learn best through active, highly personalized experiences with economics. The lessons are correlated explicitly to NCEE's "Voluntary National Content Standards in Economics" and "A Framework for Teaching Basic Economic Concepts." This lesson guide helps to reinforce the case for, as well as redefine the approach to teaching about different types of economic systems, in light of the breakup of the former Soviet Union and market reforms now underway in many nations that were, until recently, the most important examples of centrally planned economies. As demonstrated in the lessons contained in this volume, comparing the institutional arrangements that form the foundation of different nations' economic systems reveals that a wide spectrum still exists, ranging from largely individualistic and market-oriented approaches to a considerable degree of governmental intervention in the overall economy. This guide contains an introductory essay, "A Comparative Analysis of Economic Systems," as well as 12 lessons that feature a wide range of activities, handouts, and discussion guides for classroom use. (Author/BB)

Published
2001

8. Career Guidance and Counselling: Theory and Practice for the 21st Century. Conference Report (Budapest, Hungary, March 29-31, 2000).

Author

European Training Foundation, Turin (Italy).

Abstract

No longer is it possible for individuals to go through their working lives using only the skills and training they acquired during their initial schooling. Instead, they need to continually acquire new skills and re-think their career goals to meet changing job requirements and economic conditions. In order to help adults learn new skills and re-direct their thinking toward multiple careers instead of careers-for-life, more and different career guidance is needed. Instead of thinking of how to help individuals choose traditional careers, career guidance must focus on how to help them construct their own careers and to be open-minded to unplanned events that may lead to new careers. In particular, this concept of career guidance is relevant to the countries of Central and Eastern Europe. In these countries, shifts from the old paternalistic economy to a market economy have been abrupt and devastating, and career guidance must be made available to help people learn to plan and guide their own careers and lives. In the United States, in the meantime, policies, partnerships, and strategies are being implemented to support occupational and career information systems. These systems need to be refined and the best concepts applied to European countries. Staff development is central to the implementation of these initiatives. (Recommendations for European countries are provided. Four appendixes provide information on European countries' policy in the field of guidance, a blueprint for life and work designs, characteristics of Hungarian career guidance, and preparation of career guidance practitioners in the United States.) (Contains 10 references.) (KC)

Published
2000

9. Economics. Teacher's Guide [and Student Guide]. Parallel Alternative Strategies for Students (PASS).

Author

Florida State Dept. of Education, Tallahassee. Bureau of Instructional Support and Community Services., Chambliss, Robert, and Fresen, Sue

Abstract

This teacher's guide and student guide unit contains supplemental readings, activities, and methods adapted for secondary students who have disabilities and other students with diverse learning needs. The curriculum correlates to Florida's Sunshine State Standards and is divided into the following six units of study: (1) introduction to economics, which addresses opportunity cost, supply and demand, different types of resources, entrepreneurship, property, and economic rent; (2) economic systems, which addresses the market system, command economic system, government controlled command economy, mixed economics, and measuring government control of the economy; (3) supply and demand, which addresses elastic and inelastic demand, fair market price, and profit; (4) economic institutions, which addresses types of business competition, business organizations, the role of banking institutions, and government regulation of the money supply; (5) taxes; and (6) an examination of the American economy, which addresses tools for measuring economic growth, tariffs and unemployment. The teacher's guide includes a general description of each unit's content and focus, provides suggestions for enrichment, and contains an assessment to measure student performance. The student guide includes case studies and practice activities. Appendices describe instructional strategies, list enrichment suggestions, contain suggestions for specific strategies to facilitate inclusion, and contain a chart describing standards and benchmarks. (Contains 37 references.) (CR)

Published
2000

10. Academic Capitalism and Accountability in Higher Education.

Author

Barnetson, Robert James

Abstract

This dissertation examines performance-based funding in higher education in Alberta (Canada) using a case study that examined government funding of public higher education in that province. Six hypothesized goals for performance-based funding were developed from the literature, and relevant government documents were analyzed in terms of these goals. The study concluded that: (1) While Alberta's government did seek to increase institutional accountability, it did not introduce performance-based funding to achieve this end; rather, a closely related reporting framework to increase institutional accountability was introduced; (2) Alberta's government did seek to increase institutional responsiveness to governmental goals by introducing performance-based funding; (3) Alberta's government did seek to increase institutional productivity by introducing performance-based funding, although the definition of productivity used might be inadequate to realize increased productivity; (4) Alberta's government did not introduce performance-based funding as a politically feasible way to increase government transfers to institutions; (5) Alberta's government introduced performance-based funding to facilitate the introduction of a broader policy agenda consistent with academic capitalism (i.e., aligning the activities of higher education with the needs of capitalism); and (6) it was not clear whether Alberta's government introduced performance-based funding to legitimize the introduction of a broader policy agenda. (Contains approximately 275 references.) (DB)

Published
1999

12. Convergence and Divergence: A Rejoinder to John Huckle.

Author

Sauve, Lucie

Abstract

Agrees with the inputs of critical theory reviewed in light of a constructive postmodern thought that it gives an essential dimension to environmental education, that of a critical appraisal of the interrelated social, environmental, and educational aspects of phenomena and issues of our lives, in the perspective of personal and social transformations towards optimal environmental relationships. (CCM)

Published
1999

13. Economics.

Author

Kemp, Rodger

Abstract

This course presents basic economic concepts and explores issues such as how goods and services are produced and distributed, what affects costs and profits, and how wealth is spread around or concentrated. The course is designed to be used with students enrolled in an adult high school diploma program; course content is appropriate to meet social studies requirements. The course focuses on having students apply concepts to real life situations and analyze life situations for their relationship to the concepts presented. The course contains 10 lessons, each of which includes stories, examples, information sheets, activities, and assignments. The following 10 topics are covered: (1) exchange; (2) the marketplace; (3) market forces; (4) supply and demand; (5) market management; (6) the power of competition; (7) consumer choices; (8) what's the economy doing? Part 1; (9) what's the economy doing? Part 2; and (10) applying ideas and language from the course. (KC)

Published
1999

14. The Early Industrial Revolution: An Overview.

Author

Massachusetts Univ., Lowell. Tsongas Industrial History Center.

Abstract

This lesson, which is based on a field trip to Lowell, Massachusetts, focuses on Lowell's preeminence as a textile weaving center beginning late in the 18th century. The lesson offers advice for managing the tour group, provides historical background on Lowell, the textile industry, and the United States and the world in general at the time, and forecasts the economic outlook for Lowell in today's world markets. The lesson provides a timeline of events and an extensive selected bibliography. (BT)

Published
1998

15. Focus: International Economics.

Author

National Council on Economic Education, New York, NY., Lynch, Gerald J., Watts, Michael W., and Wentworth, Donald R.

Abstract

The "Focus" series, part of the National Council on Economic Education's (NCEE) EconomicsAmerica program, uses economics to enhance learning in subjects such as history, geography, civics, and personal finance, as well as economics. Activities are interactive, reflecting the belief that students learn best through active, highly personalized experiences with economics. The lessons are correlated explicitly to NCEE's "Voluntary National Content Standards in Economics" and "A Framework for Teaching Basic Economic Concepts." This lesson guide highlights and examines basic concepts and issues in international economics. It presents 20 lessons organized around several major content themes: international economics, global production and competition, exchange rates and issues in international finance, free trade vs. protectionism, international economic development, and economic systems. Student activities focus on such topics as: why people and nations trade, interpreting trade data, trade barriers, balance of payments, where to locate a factory, foreign currency and exchange rates, should developing countries have free trade, the debate over the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA), and privatization around the world. (Author/BB)

Published
1998

16. Lyotard, Education, and the Problem of Capitalism in the Postmodern Condition.

Author

Peters, Michael

Abstract

Jean-Francois Lyotard is considered by many as the pre-eminent non-Marxist philosopher of the "postmodern condition." This paper offers Lyotard's intellectual biography, describes his political writings and subsequent turn to philosophy, and discusses his views on capitalism in the postmodern condition and the problem of the legitimation of knowledge. Lyotard offers a critical account of the status of knowledge and education in the postmodern condition that focuses on the most highly developed societies. The major working hypothesis of "The Postmodern Condition" is "that the status of knowledge is altered as societies enter what is known as the postindustrial age and cultures enter what is known as the postmodern age" (1984:3). Specifically, Lyotard maintains that the leading sciences and technologies have all been based on language-related developments and their miniaturization and commercialization. In this context, the status of knowledge is permanently altered: its availability as an international commodity becomes the basis for national and commercial advantage within the global economy; its computerized uses in the military provide the basis for enhanced state security and international monitoring. Knowledge has already become the principal force of production, changing the composition of the work force in developed countries. Educational theory should seek to critique existing metanarratives that legitimize education in universal terms. At the same time it must respect the culturally specific formations of plural forms of oppression at the intersections of class, race, and gender. (Contains 47 references). (LMI)

Published
1997

17. Russian Youth in the Transition Period toward the Free Market Economy--1990-1993.

Author

Dmitriyev, Gregory

Abstract

This paper examines the changes in aspirations and mentality of young people in Russia as to their expectations of what the market system can bring into their life. The study was done in Moscow and in Khabarovsk (Far East). Surveys of 11th-graders were conducted to gain their perspectives about the term "market" and what the future holds for them in the time of change. The paper presents the historic overview of the fall of Communism and the ideological, psychological, and social changes that also occurred. Although most Russians noted the difficulty of the changing times, they responded that the free market as they experienced it was an improvement and looked forward to better days. (Contains 26 references.) (EH)

Published
1997

18. Economics: Discipline Analysis. Women in the Curriculum Series.

Author

Towson Univ., Baltimore, MD. National Center for Curriculum Transformation Resources on Women. and Nelson, Julie A.

Abstract

This essay examines the ways in which economics, as a discipline, has been influenced by feminist scholarship in the field. It explains that feminist work in transforming economics began to gain ground only in the early 1990s, and that the impact of feminist or multicultural insights on the core research assumptions of the discipline has been minor. The essay notes that economics differs from most other social sciences in that it is built around a single, highly influential core paradigm. The mainstream of economics is built around the neoclassical model of human behavior which assumes that all activity is a result of rational, self-interested choices by autonomous individuals. Feminists have challenged all of the underpinnings of this model, along with traditional teaching and research methods. A less gender-biased discipline would use characteristics associated with both sides of the old dualistic thinking about gender (such as reason versus emotion and self-interested versus other-interested) to analyze the behavior of both men and women. The document includes an annotated bibliography and a list of related electronic resources. (MDM)

Published
1997

19. Economies in Transition: Command to Market. Teacher Resource Manual. EconomicsAmerica.

Author

National Council on Economic Education, New York, NY., Anderson, Curt, Dick, Robert, Prager, Jeffrey, Stivers, Nolan, Ware, Judith, Burke, Francis, Keay, Thomas, Rothweiler, Deborah, Tepe, Henry, Suiter, Mary, and McCorkle, Sarapage

Abstract

The materials in this publication were developed by nine high school teachers from St. Louis, Missouri, and a U.S. economic educator after they attended a program in Kharkiv, Ukraine, to learn about the difficulties of economic transition in that country. This book is designed to provide lessons about basic economic reform issues facing the countries in the former Soviet Union and eastern Europe. Each of the 10 lessons focuses on a specific aspect of economic reform and the challenges that have been encountered. The 10 lessons in this packet include: (1) "A Parking Lot Full of Incentives"; (2) "Who Decides?"; (3) "A Tale of Two Countries"; (4) "Klips and Kupons"; (5) "Economic Transition: The Role of the State"; (6) "All for One, One for All: - Well Maybe: Problems Within a Tightly Controlled Industrial Structure"; (7) "The Money Maze"; (8) "Public to Private"; (9) "Worker Woes: Labor Transition Challenges"; and (10) "Market or Command: Which Is Best for the Environment?" (EH)

Published
1997

20. International Partnerships for Civic Education and Democracy.

Author

Adjunct ERIC Clearinghouse for International Civic Education, Bloomington, IN., ERIC Clearinghouse for Social Studies/Social Science Education, Bloomington, IN., Indiana Council for the Social Studies, Bloomington., Patrick, John J., and Weakland, John E.

Abstract

This theme issue of "The International Journal of Social Education" contains 11 articles all concerned with efforts to promote civic education in post-communist countries, particularly former Soviet-Bloc nations, including Latvia, Poland, Hungary, the Czech Republic, and Russia. Described are international partnerships for civic education and democratic citizenship that have developed. One prominent example is Civitas: An International Civic Education Exchange Program, which is funded by the Office of Educational Research and Improvement of the United States Department of Education. Among the major articles are: (1) "Civic Education and the Advancement of Democracy in Latvia" (John J. Patrick; Valts Sarma); (2) "Civitas: An International Civic Education Exchange Program" (Charles N. Quigley; John N. Hoar); (3) "Education for Democratic Citizenship in Poland" (Richard C. Remy; Jacek Strzemieczny); (4) "Implementing New Civic Education Programs in Indiana and Post-Communist Countries" (Robert S. Leming; Thomas S. Vontz). This collection of articles expresses a global mission, shared by the U.S. contributors with their partners abroad, to act together to spread commonly desired blessings of liberty as extensively as possible among the diverse peoples of the world. (RJC)

Published
1997

21. The Internal Colonialism Model: What the Model Has Done to the Education of Native Americans.

Author

Oliver, Christopher

Abstract

This paper explores the shortcomings of the internal colonialism model of education that has persisted in North America throughout the history of Native American education. Since the arrival of Europeans in North America, their colonizing societies have attempted to repress the values and ways of life of Native Americans. Internal colonialism resulted in the displacement of Native American peoples by European expansion; isolation and containment of Native Americans in the reservation system; forced assimilation of Native American societies; political and economic domination of reservation affairs by the colonizers; and development of a racist ideology regarding Native Americans. Education has played a vital role in the oppression of Native Americans. First, boarding schools separated Indian children from their families and their way of life. Later, separate public schools were utilized. The main goals of education were to Christianize Native Americans so that they would accept and participate in the Christians' capitalist economic system. Eventually Native Americans were allowed to enter mainstream schools, but quite often teachers and administrators looked upon Indian students as having limited academic potential. The North American education system has failed Native Americans by not being sensitive to Native American culture, by not advocating bilingual education, and by ignoring the educational needs of Native Americans. Suggestions for educational improvement include involving Indian parents and communities in the schooling process; changing educators' attitudes toward Native American children and their academic potential; and encouraging decolonization by promoting Native American cultures, recognizing and legitimizing Native American history, and identifying unique learning styles of Native Americans. Contains 24 references. (LP)

Published
1996

22. Transforming Curricular Consumption and Dehumanization: Chicana/o Spiritualization and the Curriculum.

Author

Pizarro, Marc

Abstract

This paper critiques the consumerization of schooling and knowledge, then looks at the ways in which Chicano students have lashed out against consumption in their education. From early childhood education to the university, U.S. schooling is ensconced in the capitalist notion of the marketplace. Within the marketplace of schools, the curriculum is composed solely of items for student consumption. The emphasis on student as consumer produces a dehumanizing education that does not give students the opportunity to understand aspects of their humanity, such as spirituality. The response of some Chicano students to this education was revealed by examination of annual conferences of MEChA (El Movimiento Estudiantil Chicano de Aztlan)--a Chicano student political organization--which show a dramatic shift in interest toward spirituality and indigenous roots. These students have turned inward and are looking to their own history and culture for a means of redefining notions of education and success. They have integrated spirituality into their education in an effort both to gain a stronger sense of humanity and to move towards a place where they can empower their communities and help other Chicanos. Lessons learned from Chicano students can be applied to the university itself. In particular, Chicano studies is a perfect location in which to develop a spiritualized grounding to intellectual inquiry, redefine notions of success, and allow space for creativity in the learning process. By this means, the academy can contest its own consumerization and empower students. (Author/SV)

Published
1996

23. Culture and the Kindergarten Curriculum in Poland.

Author

Putkiewicz, Elzbieta

Abstract

This paper describes the effect of cultural context on the content of kindergarten curriculum in Poland, chronicling the historical changes from Communist to post-Soviet, capitalist cultures. Soviet cultural influence on early childhood education from 1945 to 1989 is described as affecting a single obligatory curriculum, strict government control, limited parental involvement, direct instruction, nationalist activities, and ideological indoctrination. The paper notes that the developing pluralism of the 1970s and 1980s did not affect the uniform state cultural policy in the schools because of strict tutorial control, limited parental involvement, and a parental belief in the survival of Polish family values--which was encouraged by the Church. The paper presents changes in the educational curriculum in kindergartens in the 1990s, including policy documents that became invalid and changes in minimum standards for education. The general assumptions and program content, including physical education, child/family/environment relations, and cognitive and creative development, of these new education standards are outlined. Changes are reported in classroom instruction, particularly greater communication between teacher and students, more small group and individual work, and less formal discipline. Also noted are the increasing role of religion in the schools, greater parental participation, and new civic schools, including Jewish schools. Finally, the paper briefly describes a study of teacher attitudes, revealing a mixture of hope and anxiety, and mixed feelings about the loss of state control, greater teacher autonomy, and parental participation. (Two hundred and nine teachers participated. (JPB)

Published
1996

24. Changing the Monopoly Structure of Public Education. Dialogue Series, Number 12.

Author

Pioneer Inst. for Public Policy Research, Boston, MA.

Abstract

On January 31, 1996, Pioneer Institute Executive Director James A. Peyser delivered an address to the Boston Economic Club, in which he proposed radical reforms to the structure of public education. This publication contains an edited transcript of the speech. The speech argues that after 30 years of stagnation and decline, only fundamental structural change can bring about lasting improvement in public education. It also argues that deregulation, independently managed schools, and choice should be the cornerstones of a new structure, one that benefits from competition, commitment, and the shared community that only real educational choice can create. A series of steps is outlined for creating a market-driven educational system. Three figures are included. (LMI)

Published
1996

25. Profiting from Education: Incentive Issues in Contracting Out. EPI Policy Paper #1.

Author

Education Policy Inst., Washington, DC. and Payne, James L.

Abstract

The privatization of schools and school services is strenuously opposed by trade unions representing school district employees. This paper examines the opposing arguments advanced by the National Education Association and finds that the objections involve two distinct points: (1) the economic role of profit; and (2) idealism in the schools. The paper discusses each of the points, which are central issues in the debate between capitalism and socialism. The first point is based on the notion that profits are superfluous payments made to well-positioned, but undeserving, individuals; profits play no constructive economic role in an enterprise like a public school. The paper asserts, however, that two less visible costs are involved--capital and risk. The second point is based on the idea that profit-seeking is an unsound and potentially corrupting motive for the delivery of a public service, which should be based on altruistic, service-oriented motives. A conclusion is that the involvement of profit in the privatization of public schools should not be considered an objection. Profits, it is argued, are a way of recognizing costs that exist in all school settings, and the seeking of profits is no more selfish than the seeking of higher salaries, promotions, or job security. (LMI)

Published
1995

26. 'Fast' Capitalism and 'Fast' Schools: New Realities and New Truths.

Author

Robertson, Susan L.

Abstract

This paper locates the phenomenon of self-managing schools within the framework of "fast capitalism" and identifies themes of organization central to fast capitalism, which are argued to also underpin the self-managing schools. "Fast capitalism" refers to the rapidly intensified integration of regionalized productive activities into the global circuit of capital, and the further penetration of consumerism. The paper argues that the self-managing school can be understood as an institutional expression of the postmodern/post-Fordist social relations, which have been shaped by an intensification of globalization. These tendencies have been crucial in shaping the transformation of the national state and educational provision, including the underlying grammar of self-managing schools. The penetration of the commodity form into the heart of the schooling enterprise shows how successful the productive units at the local level--under the guise of self-managing schools--have been in carrying the new social relations of "fast capitalism." These developments are seen to arise as a result of economic, political, and social struggles. The study of self-managing schools can focus attention on the shifting configurations of power, knowledge, time, and space (Aronowitz and Giroux 1991) that provide the basis for oppositional action. (Contains 38 references.) (LMI)

Published
1995

27. The Nationalization of Education in Burma: A Radical Response to the Capitalist Development?

Author

Ni, Zar

Abstract

This paper examines, within a framework of the world-system analysis, the process of the nationalization of education in Burma. As a significant part of the nationalist-socialist revolution launched to undermine foreign influences on the Burmese society in 1962, all schools in the country were nationalized and the curriculum "Burmanized." The paper describes the events leading up to the nationalization of schooling in Burma under General Ne Win's government (1962-88) as well as the deeper socio-cultural and historical factors that played a crucial role in the Burmese military regime's decision to nationalize schooling and knowledge. In particular, the paper examines whether Burma's nationalization policies entailed a radical response to capitalist development. A conclusion is that although the nationalization measures appear to be radical because of their inward-looking and isolationist nature, they were not very radical. It is true that they were taken as part of the revolution with the purpose of minimizing the influence of, and gradually severing the ties with, the capitalist world. However, paradoxically, they were carried out within the framework of the dominant paradigm of modernization, the ideology of which was spread with the development of capitalism. Furthermore, the concept of the nation-state was strictly adhered to by the nationalist-socialist leaders. (Two crucial concepts in the emergence of capitalist modern world system are the ideology of modernization and the concept of nation-state.) The educated nationalist continues to look for solutions for the country's problems solely within the dominant ideological framework, accepting the viability of the nation-state and modernization. Seen against this contradictory background, there is nothing truly radical about Burma's educational nationalization. Contains over 40 references. (LMI)

Published
1995

28. American Drama through Chinese Eyes.

Author

Brown, Joanne

Abstract

An American instructor taught a 5-week course on the family in American drama to a group of graduate English majors on the campus of Hebei Teachers' University in the People's Republic of China. The instructor learned as much about Chinese culture as the students learned about American culture. Lecture is the standard pedagogy even in graduate level classes. Students were stumped by the instructor's request that they write about the plays before being told what the plays meant. Nonetheless their observations were stimulating. For example, excerpts from their comments show that students were highly critical of Tom's escape from the Wingfield family in Tennessee Williams'"The Glass Menagerie." The Chinese culture places more emphasis on communal responsibility than on individual fulfillment. In reading Arthur's Miller's "Death of a Salesman," the students continued in the vein of social critique, laying all the blame for Willy's tragedy on the American capitalistic society. Some students saw in Lorraine Hansberry's "A Raisin in the Sun" a confirmation of their worst fears of American bigotry; others appreciated the cohesiveness of the African-American family. After some initial confusion, students liked Edward Albee's "The American Dream" enormously and read its indictment of human folly as universal, perhaps because of its comedic and non-realistic mode. The students had a particularly difficult time with Marsha Norman's "'Night, Mother" because they could not understand how a lack of an autonomous self could drive someone to desperation. (TB)

Published
1995

29. Pathways from Poverty.

Author

Western Rural Development Center, Corvallis, OR. and Baldwin, Barbara

Abstract

Articles in this theme issue are based on presentations at the Pathways from Poverty Workshop held in Albuquerque, New Mexico, on May 18-25, 1995. The event aimed to foster development of a network to address rural poverty issues in the Western Rural Development Center (WRDC) region. Articles report on outcomes from the Pathways from Poverty workshop including team plans for addressing poverty in their area; the importance of social capital in building community; Native American economic development efforts that incorporate sustainability and cultural relevance; the effect of capitalism on the Palau islands; how sharing resources has enabled low-income families in American Samoa to maintain economic stability; demographic, economic, and educational factors that affect the status of Latinos in the United States, with implications for the American economy; a study of single-parent families and welfare reform; rural minorities and the relationship between employment and poverty; and the importance of rural studies in gaining understanding of rural poverty. Articles include: (1) "Pathways from Poverty" (Jane Brass); (2) "Social Capital" (Marie Cirillo); (3) "The Circle of Development and Indigenous Peoples" (Sherry Salway Black); (4) "Palauan Perspective" (Ayano Baules); (5) "Poverty: A Matter of Values" (Carol S. Whitaker); (6) "Focus on Latinos" (Refugio I. Rochin, Jose A. Rivera); (7) "Is Marriage the Solution? The Single-Parent Family and Welfare Reform" (Janet M. Fitchen); (8) "Employment Hardship and Rural Minorities" (Leif Jensen); and (9) "The Social Scientist and Rural America" (Emery N. Castle). The journal also includes updates on projects sponsored by WRDC and upcoming conferences. (LP)

Published
1995

30. Democratization of Eastern Europe: Hungary and Poland in Transition.

Author

Center for International Education (ED), Washington, DC. and Hallamore, Nancy A.

Abstract

Since the end of the Cold War, those teaching about developing democracies in Central and Eastern Europe have taken on new responsibilities: dispelling cultural attitudes formed and taught during the Cold War, helping students to understand the concept of democracy, and analyzing the effects of these events on the world. This high school lesson plan begins by briefly describing the changes in Eastern and Central Europe during 1989 that led to the collapse of communism there. Students analyze the transition of Hungary and Poland to democracies by examining case studies of each country, answering series of questions about specific areas, and then presenting a plan for restructuring the countries. The lesson encourages students to become aware of the changes in Central and Eastern Europe, improve their communication skills, and develop cooperation, teamwork, and decision-making abilities. A fact sheet for each country details demographics, cultural attitudes and beliefs. The fact sheets also list each country's problems in the following areas: education, employment, housing, commerce, pollution, economic goals, political structure, foreign policy, and cultural clashes (alcoholism, drugs, minority rights/ethnic groups, xenophobia). A "Lesson Debrief" helps students summarize what they have learned. Before beginning this lesson, students should know about the Cold War and the Soviet bloc and understand democracy, communism, and free markets. The document includes a 17-item annotated resource list, a 1994 map of Central and Eastern Europe, and maps of Hungary and Poland. (LAP)

Published
1995

31. After Postmodernism: Education, Politics and Identity. Knowledge, Identity and School Life Series: 3.

Author

Smith, Richard, Wexler, Philip, Smith, Richard, and Wexler, Philip

Abstract

The chapters in this book originated in an invited seminar at the Griffith University Gold Coast (Australia) campus on the occasion of a visit by Philip Wexler in December 1993. The seminar explored ways and means of transcending a postmodernist analysis of education. Although the examples are predominantly Australian, the issues are international. The major themes of the book include the theoretical implications of a refusal to abandon universals and the justification for intervening in educational policy; the efficacy of different kinds of interventions and what a theoretically driven action agenda might be; and dealing with the new range of inequalities which are consequences of postmodern transformations at both the institutional and existential levels. Following the prologue by Richard Smith, Part 1, entitled "Theory of Education," is comprised of the following four chapters: (1) "Liberalism, Postmodernism, Critical Theory and Politics" (Robert Young); (2) "Fading Poststructuralisms: Post-Ford, Posthuman, Posteducation?" (John Knight); (3) "Having a Postmodernist Turn or Postmodernist 'Angst': A Disorder Experienced by an Author Who Is Not Yet Dead or Even Close to It" (Jane Kenway); and (4) "After Postmodernism: A New Age Social Theory in Education" (Philip Wexler). Chapters in the second part, "Pedagogy," include: (5) "Getting Our Hands Dirty: Provisional Politics in Postmodern Conditions" (Allan Luke); (6) "Foucault's Poststructuralism and Observational Education Research: A Study of Power Relations" (Jennifer M. Gore); and (7) "Keeping an Untidy House: A Disjointed Paper About Academic Space, Work and Bodies" (Wendy Morgan and Erica McWilliam). The chapters in part 3, "Identity," include: (8) "Stories In and Out of Class: Knowledge, Identity and Schooling" (Lindsay Fitzclarence, Bill Green, and Chris Bigum); (9) "Corporatism, Self and Identity Within Moral Orders: Prestructuralist Reconsiderations of a Poststructuralist Paradox" (Robert Funnell); and (10) "Voicing the 'Other,' Speaking for the 'Self,' Disrupting the Metanarratives of Educational Theorizing with Poststructural Feminisms" (Parlo Singh). Part 4, entitled "Politics," is comprised of the following three chapters: (11) "Educational Intellectuals and Corporate Politics" (James G. Ladwig); (12) "Academic Work Intensification: Beyond Postmodernism" (Richard Smith and Judyth Sachs); and (13) "Epilogue: From the Inside Out" (Philip Wexler). References accompany each chapter. An index is included. (LMI)

Published
1995

32. Postmodernism as the Cultural Skin of Late Capitalism: Mapping and the Educational Challenge.

Author

Brosio, Richard

Abstract

This paper asks whether postmodernist thought is helpful or harmful to education. It critiques postmodernist theory in both a favorable and critical light and studies the phenomenon within the context of historical and contemporary socioeconomic, cultural, and political developments. The author argues that postmodernism is best understood in relation to its material base. The hypothesis is that postmodernism is best understood as the cultural skin (or superstructural manifestations) of the economic dynamics of late capitalism. Finally, because the greatest threat to a genuine democratic project, including education, is capitalism's direct and hegemonic power, any theory and practice of liberatory progressive education must be conducted within an anticapitalist framework. A conclusion is that the contributions of postmodernist thought to intramural education practice and theory deserve fairly good grades. However, because capitalism is the greatest threat to bona fide democracy, postmodernist though cannot be endorsed as an overall ally of liberative praxis and transformative politics. (LMI)

Published
1994

33. Understanding the Federal Debt and Deficit.

Author

Federal Reserve Bank of New York, NY. and Gonnelli, Adam

Abstract

This pamphlet defines "national debt," explains how the national debt is incurred by the federal government, and what deficits are. The sections of the pamphlet include: (1) "Definitions"; (2) "History"; (3) "Measurements"; (4) "Problems"; and (5) "Strategies." The text is written in a question-answer format with illustrations, graphs and charts to support the text. (EH)

Published
1994

34. Government, Higher Education and the Industrial Ethic.

Author

Tasker, Mary and Packham, David

Abstract

This paper argues that the values of industry and higher education are incompatible and that imposition of industrial values on universities must necessarily destroy traditional academic values. Any dialogue between industry and higher education must grapple with this value conflict. The industrial ethic is based on unlimited growth, exploitation of raw materials, and penetration of more markets with minimal constraints on competition. The current decade has seen an increased awareness of environmental and societal issues with other trends perhaps signaling fundamental change. Although traditional elite university values of disinterested pursuit of knowledge in a collegial community may have little relevance to a post-modern era, traditional higher education values of creating an educated public and enhancing critical awareness to free minds and uphold democracy is still valid. Government intervention in higher education has promoted industrial values. In particular, in the United Kingdom, the Higher and Further Education Act of 1992 resulted in direct intervention in university teaching by setting up "quality assessment" committees under funding councils. This has brought the industrial language of quality control into the university. These trends may overlie deeper interests in political and social control of higher education. (Contains 26 references.) (JB)

Published
1993

35. The National Forum on Family Security: Social Economic Factors and Human Development.

Author

Canadian Inst. for Advanced Research, Toronto (Ontario)., Keating, D., and Mustard, J. Fraser

Abstract

Social and economic influences significantly affect the development of competence, health, and well-being in modern society. During periods of profound social and economic change, such as the present, some sectors of society are often at very high risk of encountering a decline of social support and hence inadequate nurturance of developmental needs. Families with young children are often the most vulnerable, especially those in lower income groups. This social trend is likely to have a significant, negative impact on people's competence, health, and well-being. An overview of current theories of economic growth, the human development factors necessary to sustain wealth creation, and the major problems faced by many families and children highlight key challenges for society. Capitalism based on individualism will probably be unable to create enough wealth for everyone, since it tends to be captured by those interested in a wealth-driven society. Nations that have evolved capitalism in a broader societal context will probably meet the challenges and be able to create the wealth needed to sustain prosperous and healthy societies. Contains 54 references. (MDM)

Published
1993

36. Public Debt: Private Asset. Government Debt and Its Role in the Economy.

Author

Federal Reserve Bank of Chicago, IL.

Abstract

This is one of a series of essays adapted from articles in "On Reserve," a newsletter for economic educators published by the Federal Reserve Bank of Chicago. This pamphlet explains how public debt incurred by the federal government may not be necessarily bad from an economic perspective. The sections of the pamphlet include: (1) "Debt as an Asset"; (2) "Government Debt Instruments"; (3) "The Government in the Market"; (4) "The Auction"; and (5) "The Burden of Deficits." Contains a list of 11 additional readings. (EH)

Published
1993

37. Public Education: An Autopsy.

Author

Lieberman, Myron and Lieberman, Myron

Abstract

This book argues that public education no longer fosters in students basic skills, scientific and cultural literacy, civic virtues, and desirable habits/attitudes toward society and its institutions. The book asserts that government provision of goods and services is usually less effective and efficient than provision through a market system. It advances a market approach to education that includes a three-sector industry comprised of public schools, nonprofit private schools, and schools for profit. Following the introduction, chapter 2 describes the future context of public education, shaped by cultural and demographic changes. Conflicts of interest between producers and consumers in public education and their resolution in the private sector are discussed in the third chapter. A critique of the public-education information system is provided in chapter 4. The fifth chapter advances reasons why the market system provides a superior educational information system. The next seven chapters explore the real costs of public education, educational outcomes as an efficiency issue, the educational consequences of racial conflict, a reconsideration of the equality of educational opportunity, the impact of higher education on the public schools, educational research and development, and the educational agenda and its problems. The final chapter examines strategies for moving toward a market system of education. The epilogue describes several recent developments and their ramifications for the transition to a market system. Six tables are included. Each chapter contains extensive notes in the back of the book. (LMI)

Published
1993

38. Sponsored Research & the Freedom of Publication.

Author

Packham, David

Abstract

This paper examines conflicts and collaboration between industry and universities regarding sponsored research and freedom of publication, particularly in the United Kingdom. An opening section notes that the values of the market and the university are in fundamental conflict which presents problems for institutions attempting to work in cooperation with industry. The advantages of the collaboration fostered by sponsored research are noted as are problems such as loss of faculty credibility as disinterested parties, conflicts of interest, and loss of public trust. Policies of the British Research Council concerning policy funding of fundamental research that increases the industrial relevance of academic research and recent trends toward increased governmental control of publications resulting from sponsored research. Evidence is offered that funding sources are in fact influencing the publication of research results. The paper concludes by asking whether these issues are important enough to be resolved and argues that the fundamental value differences between industry and university must be recognized and respected to avoid destructive conflict. (Contains 13 references.) (JB)

Published
1992

39. The Education of Citizens in a Market Economy and its Relationship to a Free Society.

Author

Branson, Margaret Stimmann

Abstract

The question of the relationship between capitalism and democracy is not new; scholars have produced a rich literature about it that includes virtually every considerable point of view. Yet the question is of more than historical interest; with the recent dramatic political and economic upheavals in Eastern Europe and the former USSR, it becomes again a question of great moment. The purpose of this paper is three-fold: first, to summarize briefly the more important, current thinking of U.S. scholars about the capitalism/democracy connection; second, to call attention to the specific economic values and fundamental assumptions about economic activity that underlie U.S. constitutionalism and reinforce democratic norms; and, finally, to consider the implication of the foregoing for the education of citizens in a market-oriented, democractic society. (DB)

Published
1991

40. The Theory of Capitalist Regulation and the Development of American Higher Education.

Author

Barrow, Clyde W.

Abstract

This paper outlines a neomarxist theoretical framework for interpreting the history of American higher education. It argues that one can best explain the development of American higher institutions as part of a theory of capitalist development, because higher institutions are generally dependent on external patronage and, therefore, on the capitalist class. Drawing on Aglietta's "theory of capitalist regulation," the paper suggests that the competitive, corporate, and state-capitalist phases of development have each resulted in a different structural form of higher education. Each structural form is characterized by its own types of governance, administration, curriculum, and teaching linked to the economic, cultural, and political interests of an ascendant segment of the capitalist class. Contains 55 references. (Author)

Published
1991

41. World Development Report 1991: The Challenge of Development.

Author

World Bank, Washington, DC.

Abstract

This report attempts to show how government and markets can interact most effectively to promote rapid economic development and benefit all people. The world economy is reviewed and an assessment is made of the impact of external factors on development. Alternative scenarios, optimistic and pessimistic, for the 1990s are considered. Four strategies for successful development are identified as crucial: (1) Investment in people is both a worthwhile goal in itself and an essential means of development. (2) Competition is essential to encourage innovation, entrepreneurship, and the growth of enterprises. (3) Openness to trade and integration into the global economy are necessary to spur growth, foster technology, and encourage capital flow. (4) Building a macroeconomic foundation that is both flexible and sustainable is necessary to support long-term economic growth. An overall argument is made that, in order for countries to develop, governments must complement markets. They should create institutions that enable the private sector to flourish in producing and marketing goods and services. Governments also should step in efficiently when markets prove inadequate or fail altogether. The report elaborates on these strategies in a detailed discussion of 15 specific actions that have worked in the past and can be adapted to solve the problems of the 1990s. It is concluded that, despite the challenges that remain, the opportunities for development are greater today than at any time in history. The World Development Indicators annex is appended, as are 33 statistical tables that provide comprehensive and up-to-date data on social and economic development for 124 countries. (Author/DB)

Published
1991

42. What Are the 'Needs of Industry'?

Author

Tasker, Mary and Packham, David

Abstract

If the purpose of industry is the good of society or of the planet as a whole, then how does higher education meet the needs of industry, particularly in the United Kingdom? Industry needs a trained work force of high quality recruits who are both educated and morally and environmentally aware. However, in the current debate over moral training, there is no consensus as traditional Christian morality is regarded as too idealistic and impractical and the promises of the "capitalistic" ethic have not been fulfilled for the bulk of society. Higher education's role in helping capitalism and furthering the good of both society at large and the planet may involve introducing ethical dimensions into degree programs, particular in science, technology and business affairs. From a material scientist's point of view graduates of science and technology programs must understand that technical change is the outcome of social, cultural and political factors. From the educator's point of view current educational policy includes school-industry collaboration and points up the need for students to understand the moral values under wealth creation and entrepreneurship. (Contains 16 references.) (JB)

Published
1990

43. Cultural Contradictions and the Institutional Dilemma of Education in Capitalist America. (An Alternative View of School Effectiveness).

Author

Howley, Craig B.

Abstract

Education in America is facing a postindustrial crisis of legitimacy brought on by the cultural contradictions of advanced American capitalism. The theorist and social critic, D. Bell, describes the most significant feature of postindustrial society as "the disjunction of realms." This concept describes the progressive division of labor or technical specialization in all realms and the tendancy of highly organized systems to become disorganized. In U.S. schools, cultural considerations--instilling an appreciation of the nation's cultural legacy and an awareness of the fundamental concerns of the human heart and mind--are being avoided in favor of political and economic concerns. Ideally, schools would be the primary agent through which culture is transmitted and made accessible to students. Yet schools seem ill-equipped for this purpose, as they are driven by the principles of the techno-economic, rather than cultural, realm--novelty (in the form of a preoccupation with reform: "new and improved" education), efficiency (more education for the taxpayers' dollar), and utility (the ability of schools to meet a predetermined, politically charged set of goals established by the polity). In this model, schools serve as little more than institutions that specialize the human intellect for work in the capitalist system. Attempts to counter this anti-intellectual, anti-cultural method of education must center around attempts to articulate the cultural legacy on behalf of the institution of education. Administrators should be critical of attempts to improve schools based on the ends of the techno-economic realm (vocationalism, perpetuation of U.S. global economic supremacy, etc.). (RJS)

Published
1990

44. The Effects of Paternalism Upon an Industrial Community's Participation in Schooling.

Author

Desmond, Cheryl T.

Abstract

The influence of paternalism upon a community's school district participation is discussed in this historical case study. Interviews and historical research explore the impact of the "welfare capitalism" of the Endicott Shoe Corporation and International Business Machines on Harrison City, New York, from 1890 through the present. An analysis of the history of recurring community deference to paternalistic leadership in Harrison City indicates the power and ability of this leadership model to satisfy community needs in the educational and economic systems. Just as characteristics of paternalistic leadership varied with each leader, community deference or resistance to paternalism fluctuated with changes in social, political, economic, and emotional community structures. Findings of the study document patterns of active community resistance. Community deference accorded to paternalistic leadership depended upon the degree to which the leader was able to successfully transform a work or educational ideology into a positive community ethos. The complexities of this reciprocal relationship contribute to either public deference and loyalty or public resistance and possible usurpation of the paternalistic leader. (10 references) (LMI)

Published
1990

45. Counting the Cats of Zanzibar: Upton Sinclair and the Decline of the Muckraking Movement.

Author

Smith, John Kares

Abstract

To study any social movement is ultimately to examine an intricate social drama. With the publication of "The Jungle" in 1906, Upton Sinclair emerged from the stormy background of the muckraking movement to become one of that movement's principal actors. But in the 1920s, long after the Progressive reformers dusted and put away their muckrakers for other pursuits, Sinclair raked with indomitable zeal and enthusiasm. From 1918 to 1927, Sinclair created a remarkable series of muckraking tracts. Collectively called "The Dead Hand" series, it has been called one of the first thematic analyses of culture from the socialist perspective. Writing during a time of widespread disillusionment with American progressive reform, Sinclair championed the muckrakers' movement. But so cataclysmic were the effects of World War I and its aftermath that the fires of reform movements had been virtually extinguished. In the 1920s Sinclair was almost alone in the role of radical American social critic. It was not until the 1970s that historians and critics noted the historical and intellectual significance of "The Dead Hand" series. Critics suggest it is indeed unfortunate that eminent historians ignored Sinclair's preservation of the muckraking tradition. "The Dead Hand" series can be seen as a "rhetorica in vacuuo" which ultimately failed in its purposes for historical, rhetorical, and personal reasons. (Forty-one notes are included.) (Author/SG)

Published
1990

46. The Japanese Labor Market in a Comparative Perspective with the United States. A Transaction-Cost Interpretation.

Author

Upjohn (W.E.) Inst. for Employment Research, Kalamazoo, MI. and Hashimoto, Masanori

Abstract

A comparison is made of some of the notable features of the Japanese and U.S. labor markets. In Japan, as compared to the United States, for example, levels of employment tenure are higher, employer-employee attachment stronger, earnings-tenure profiles more steeply sloped, layoffs and dismissals much less frequent, and joint consultation and consensus-based decision making more common. To bring together these phenomena in a single conceptual framework, a theory is formulated that incorporates transaction-cost (communication cost) considerations into human capital theory. The theory draws a distinction between two types of investments: investments in firm-specific technical skills and investments in the reliability of information exchanged between employer and employees and among employees. This latter type of investment takes place in the Japanese practices. It is hypothesized that there are more investments in Japan than in the United States because, for various reasons, the investment costs are lower in Japan. The investments in both technical skills and in information reliability may be stimulated by technological progress, and the stimulation is greater the more elastic are the cost functions underlying these investments. It is argued that the cost function associated with the investment in information reliability is more elastic in a lower transaction-cost environment. A conclusion based on these results is that cultural-traditional influences, which shape the transaction-cost environment, probably interacted with technological progress in shaping many of the uniquely Japanese labor market phenomena. (177 references) (KC)

Published
1990

47. A Christmas Present for the President: A Short History of the Creation of the Federal Reserve System.

Author

Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis, MO. and Dunne, Gerald T.

Abstract

This booklet examines the political events of the year 1912 in which the idea of the Federal Reserve System came into reality. Excerpts from reminiscences, letters and newspapers of the time give an inside look at the divergent forces and personalities that were brought together to form the central banking system of the United States. Sections of the booklet include: (1) "Christmas 1912"; (2) "Two Opposing Solutions"; (3) "The Aldrich Plan"; (4) "Spring"; (5) "Bryan's Diminishing Opposition"; (6) "McAdoo's Compromise"; (7) "Summer"; (8) "Thunder on the Right"; (9) "Counterattack in the Center"; (10) "Thunder on the Left"; (11) "Autumn"; (12) "Progress at a Standstill"; (13) "The Crumbling Opposition"; (14) "Christmas 1913"; (15) "A Holiday Delayed"; and (16) "The Final Proceedings." Contains 18 references. (EH)

Published
1990

48. Panic of 1907.

Author

Federal Reserve Bank of Boston, MA.

Abstract

This pamphlet recaps the chain of events known as The Bank Panic of 1907. Historians view this as a watershed event that had a lasting impact on the financial system of the United States. The panic resulted from the collapse of the United Copper Company and was averted with the intervention of John D. Rockefeller and the J. P. Morgan Company. The pamphlet is divided into three parts: (1) "In Which the Downfall of a Prominent Speculator Rocks the Financial System, and a Prominent Millionaire Saves the Day"; (2) "Panic of 1907: Movers and Shakers"; and (3) "Parallel History: Everyday People." (EH)

Published
1990

49. International Aid Agencies, Learner-Centred Pedagogy and Political Democratisation: A Critique.

Author

Tabulawa, Richard

Abstract

Since 1989, international aid agencies have shown a marked interest in and preference for learner-centered pedagogy. This change follows a shift in agency ideology from modernization theory to neoliberalism, which sees democratic social relations as a prerequisite to free-market capitalism. Thus, the pedagogy represents a process of Westernization disguised as value-free, effective teaching. Examples from Botswana are given. (Contains 66 references.) (SV)

Published
2003

50. The Political Economy of Skill and the Limits of Educational Policy.

Author

Lloyd, Caroline and Payne, Jonathan

Abstract

Challenges progressive educators' view that skills, education, and learning are a universal solution to array of economic and social problems in the UK. Argues that those calling for progressive educational reform must acknowledge the reality of the contemporary class-divided workplace and the institutional context of UK capitalism. (Contains 134 references.) (Authors/PKP)

Published
2003

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