In: The journal of modern African studies: a quarterly survey of politics, economics & related topics in contemporary Africa, Band 23, Heft 4, S. 243-666
ANY CONSIDERATION OF THE PROCESS OF DECOLONISATION MUST BE PRIMARILY CONCERNED WITH THE QUESTION OF TO WHOM POWER WAS TRANSFERRED. WHO INHERITED THE COLONIAL STATE AND HOW DID THEY ESTABLISH THEIR CLAIM? THE BASIC THESIS OF THIS ARTICLE IS THAT IN ORDER TO UNDERSTAND THE NATURE OF THE POST-COLONIAL STATE IN SWAZILAND IT IS NECESSARY TO LOOK BACK AT LEAST AS FAR AS THE 1930S, AND TO TRACE THE ROOTS OF SWAZI 'TRADITIONALISM', THE IDEOLOGY WHICH TRIUMPHED OVER COMPETING FORMS OF AFRICAN NATIONALISM DURING THE 1960S. IN ORDER TO COMPREHEND SWAZI 'TRADITIONALISM', IT IS ESSENTIAL TO DISTINGUISH IT FROM 'CONSERVATISM', RESISTANCE TO CHANGE, THE PRESERVATION OF OLD CUSTOMS AND WAYS OF DOING THINGS. OF COURSE, 'TRADITIONALISM' MAY AT TIMES BE CONSERVATIVE IN THE LATTER SENSE, BUT IT MAY ALSO BE, AND OFTEN IS, INNOVATIVE AND DYNAMIC. DURING THE 1920S AND 1930S 'TRADITIONALISM' BEGAN TO EMERGE IN SWAZILAND AS AN IDEOLOGY WHICH SOUGHT TO MAKE SENSE OUT OF DISLOCATION, WHILE AT THE SAME TIME LEGITIMATING THE POSITION OF AN ELITE WHICH WAS SEEKING TO PRESERVE - OR, RATHER, TO RESTORE - ITS POSITION IN VERY ADVERSE CIRCUMSTANCES.
IF EACH LEGISLATOR WISHES TO ENCOURAGE OTHER LEGISLATORS TO ADDRESS NEW PROBLEMS IN FUTURE PERIODS, THEN A SUBGAME PERFECT NASH EQUILIBRIUM CAN EXIST WITH THE FOLLOWING PROPERTIES: NO LEGISLATOR FINDS IT WORTHWHILE TO MAKE A NARROW PROPOSAL THAT APPEALS TO A MINIMUM MAJORITY; INSTEAD, LEGISLATORS PROPOSE POLICIES THAT APPEAL TO ALL MEMBERS, NOT FOR FEAR OF RETALIATION, BUT RATHER TO ENCOURAGE OTHER MEMBERS TO WORK ON NEW PROBLEMS IN SUCCEEDING PERIODS; IN SUCCEEDING PERIODS NO LEGISLATOR AMENDS THE EXISTING BROAD POLICY. THIS ARTICLE FINDS AN EQUILIBRIUM WITH THESE PROPERTIES IN FINITE AS WELL AS INFINITE PERIOD GAMES.
PUBLIC OFFICIALS OFTEN HAVE LITTLE INCENTIVE TO SPEND TIME AND EFFORT PROPOSING POLICIES THAT BENEFIT OTHERS. HOWEVER, WHEN SOME PUBLIC POLICIES GENERATE RENTS TO THESE OFFICIALS, RENT SEEKING IN POLITICS CAN MOTIVATE THEM TO PROVIDE PUBLIC GOODS. IN THIS ESSAY, THE AUTHORS CONSIDER THE MOTIVATIONAL EFFECTS OF RENT SEEKING ON (I) POLICY, (II) THE ROLE OF AGENDA SETTING IN SOCIAL CHOICE THEORY, (III) THE EFFECTS OF GRAFT AND CORRUPTION IN GOVERNMENT, AND (IV) THE VALIDITY OF COST-BENEFIT ANALYSIS.
Using the oil crisis of the late 1970s as a case study, examines the influences of public opinion and media attention on the credibility of regulatory threats. Uses television news coverage of various topics to measure 3 factors and hypothesizes that firms threatened with potential regulation restrained price increases, with the largest and most publicly visible firms exercising the greatest restraint. (Abstract amended)
Background Surgery is the main modality of cure for solid cancers and was prioritised to continue during COVID-19 outbreaks. This study aimed to identify immediate areas for system strengthening by comparing the delivery of elective cancer surgery during the COVID-19 pandemic in periods of lockdown versus light restriction. Methods This international, prospective, cohort study enrolled 20 006 adult (≥18 years) patients from 466 hospitals in 61 countries with 15 cancer types, who had a decision for curative surgery during the COVID-19 pandemic and were followed up until the point of surgery or cessation of follow-up (Aug 31, 2020). Average national Oxford COVID-19 Stringency Index scores were calculated to define the government response to COVID-19 for each patient for the period they awaited surgery, and classified into light restrictions (index 60). The primary outcome was the non-operation rate (defined as the proportion of patients who did not undergo planned surgery). Cox proportional-hazards regression models were used to explore the associations between lockdowns and non-operation. Intervals from diagnosis to surgery were compared across COVID-19 government response index groups. This study was registered at ClinicalTrials.gov, NCT04384926. Findings Of eligible patients awaiting surgery, 2003 (10·0%) of 20 006 did not receive surgery after a median follow-up of 23 weeks (IQR 16–30), all of whom had a COVID-19-related reason given for non-operation. Light restrictions were associated with a 0·6% non-operation rate (26 of 4521), moderate lockdowns with a 5·5% rate (201 of 3646; adjusted hazard ratio [HR] 0·81, 95% CI 0·77–0·84; p<0·0001), and full lockdowns with a 15·0% rate (1775 of 11 827; HR 0·51, 0·50–0·53; p<0·0001). In sensitivity analyses, including adjustment for SARS-CoV-2 case notification rates, moderate lockdowns (HR 0·84, 95% CI 0·80–0·88; p<0·001), and full lockdowns (0·57, 0·54–0·60; p<0·001), remained independently associated with non-operation. Surgery beyond 12 weeks from diagnosis in patients without neoadjuvant therapy increased during lockdowns (374 [9·1%] of 4521 in light restrictions, 317 [10·4%] of 3646 in moderate lockdowns, 2001 [23·8%] of 11 827 in full lockdowns), although there were no differences in resectability rates observed with longer delays. Interpretation Cancer surgery systems worldwide were fragile to lockdowns, with one in seven patients who were in regions with full lockdowns not undergoing planned surgery and experiencing longer preoperative delays. Although short-term oncological outcomes were not compromised in those selected for surgery, delays and non-operations might lead to long-term reductions in survival. During current and future periods of societal restriction, the resilience of elective surgery systems requires strengthening, which might include protected elective surgical pathways and long-term investment in surge capacity for acute care during public health emergencies to protect elective staff and services. Funding National Institute for Health Research Global Health Research Unit, Association of Coloproctology of Great Britain and Ireland, Bowel and Cancer Research, Bowel Disease Research Foundation, Association of Upper Gastrointestinal Surgeons, British Association of Surgical Oncology, British Gynaecological Cancer Society, European Society of Coloproctology, Medtronic, Sarcoma UK, The Urology Foundation, Vascular Society for Great Britain and Ireland, and Yorkshire Cancer Research.
Background Surgery is the main modality of cure for solid cancers and was prioritised to continue during COVID-19 outbreaks. This study aimed to identify immediate areas for system strengthening by comparing the delivery of elective cancer surgery during the COVID-19 pandemic in periods of lockdown versus light restriction. Methods This international, prospective, cohort study enrolled 20 006 adult (≥18 years) patients from 466 hospitals in 61 countries with 15 cancer types, who had a decision for curative surgery during the COVID-19 pandemic and were followed up until the point of surgery or cessation of follow-up (Aug 31, 2020). Average national Oxford COVID-19 Stringency Index scores were calculated to define the government response to COVID-19 for each patient for the period they awaited surgery, and classified into light restrictions (index 60). The primary outcome was the non-operation rate (defined as the proportion of patients who did not undergo planned surgery). Cox proportional-hazards regression models were used to explore the associations between lockdowns and non-operation. Intervals from diagnosis to surgery were compared across COVID-19 government response index groups. This study was registered at ClinicalTrials.gov, NCT04384926. Findings Of eligible patients awaiting surgery, 2003 (10·0%) of 20 006 did not receive surgery after a median follow-up of 23 weeks (IQR 16–30), all of whom had a COVID-19-related reason given for non-operation. Light restrictions were associated with a 0·6% non-operation rate (26 of 4521), moderate lockdowns with a 5·5% rate (201 of 3646; adjusted hazard ratio [HR] 0·81, 95% CI 0·77–0·84; p<0·0001), and full lockdowns with a 15·0% rate (1775 of 11 827; HR 0·51, 0·50–0·53; p<0·0001). In sensitivity analyses, including adjustment for SARS-CoV-2 case notification rates, moderate lockdowns (HR 0·84, 95% CI 0·80–0·88; p<0·001), and full lockdowns (0·57, 0·54–0·60; p<0·001), remained independently associated with non-operation. Surgery beyond 12 weeks from diagnosis in patients without neoadjuvant therapy increased during lockdowns (374 [9·1%] of 4521 in light restrictions, 317 [10·4%] of 3646 in moderate lockdowns, 2001 [23·8%] of 11827 in full lockdowns), although there were no differences in resectability rates observed with longer delays. Interpretation Cancer surgery systems worldwide were fragile to lockdowns, with one in seven patients who were in regions with full lockdowns not undergoing planned surgery and experiencing longer preoperative delays. Although short-term oncological outcomes were not compromised in those selected for surgery, delays and non-operations might lead to long-term reductions in survival. During current and future periods of societal restriction, the resilience of elective surgery systems requires strengthening, which might include protected elective surgical pathways and long- term investment in surge capacity for acute care during public health emergencies to protect elective staff and services. Funding National Institute for Health Research Global Health Research Unit, Association of Coloproctology of Great Britain and Ireland, Bowel and Cancer Research, Bowel Disease Research Foundation, Association of Upper Gastrointestinal Surgeons, British Association of Surgical Oncology, British Gynaecological Cancer Society, European Society of Coloproctology, Medtronic, Sarcoma UK, The Urology Foundation, Vascular Society for Great Britain and Ireland, and Yorkshire Cancer Research.