Suchergebnisse

The aim here is to understand better the governing organizations of Us & high schools in a democratic environment. The Law for U Government Reform is studied & its model of government characterized in terms of ideal models. A small empirical research project was set up to investigate how the rules relative to departmental councils function to reach the objectives they are assigned. One must distinguish between the allotment of responsibility for making decisions on subjects that relate to the U's "output" (teaching, research, degrees) & matters that are related to the U "input." Three conceptions of authority & three models of U government must be noted: (1) the "professional" model (decisions rest with the best qualified scientific personnel), (2) the "corporate" model (every section of the U contributes to the government), & (3) the "council" model (all responsibilities are vested in the whole U). The Law for U Government Reform aims at working out the corporative model. Research must concentrate on the relationship between goals & implementation, & not on evaluating the goals set up by the Law. By & large, nonscientific personnel are represented in the councils. The student position on these councils is strong due to the absenteeism of other members. Propositions initiated by students or nonscientific personnel are a small minority of the adopted propositions. Propositions opposed by a majority of the scientific personnel present are always adopted. The main student input is found in the area of teaching goals. It is doubtful that the intended democratization of decision-making can be effectively accomplished in the framework of the departmental councils. 6 Tables, Appendix. HA Tr & Modified by A. Orianne.

SOCIAL CONFLICTS ARE THE MOTOR OF THE POLITICAL PROCESS & POINT TO A DESIRE OR STRUGGLE FOR SOCIAL CHANGES. THESE CHANGES ARE SUBSEQUENTLY REALIZED IN THE POLITICAL PROCESS, & THE RESULTS LAID DOWN IN THE LAW. DISPROPORTIONAL POSITIONAL CHANGES OF ACTORS WITHIN A SOCIAL SYSTEM BRING ABOUT CONFLICTS. POSITIONS ARE TIED TO VALUE DISTRIBUTIONS, THUS DISPROPORTIONAL DISTRIBUTIONS OF VALUES LEAD TO CONFLICTS. A SECOND APPROACH MAY BE FOLLOWED, VIZ, THE UTILITY-THEORETICAL OR THE SATISFACTION-THEORETICAL APPROACH. THIS APPROACH DEALS WITH AN ANALYSIS OF UTILITY-FUNCTIONS OF ACTORS, CONFLICT BEING DEFINED AS A POSITION ON THE SATISFACTION-SCALE. 2 FIGURES. MODIFIED HA.

Analyzed are social & political characteristics of Permanent Secretaries in the Netherlands during the period 1945-1979 (total N = 60). Results are interpreted in the context of some developments that have taken place at the highest levels in Dutch ministries: an increase in the number of political appointees & elected officials, the growing number of permanent undersecretaries, the growth of the major policy-making agencies within the ministries, & the increasing importance of the central staff agencies. The model Permanent Secretary is appointed between the ages of 44 & 48. He has studied law at Leiden U, & has been recruited from within the ministry. He is a Protestant, & a member of the Christian Democratic Party or, in the past, of one of the Christian parties; in party membership he is similar to the recruiting minister. No distinct trends are identified over the period considered. The Permanent Secretary & his staff adapt themselves to processes of politicization; however, this adaptation is slow & susceptible to certain kinds of backlash. 9 Tables. Modified HA.

Problems concerning the subsidization of pol'al parties are discussed. 1st the situation in countries other than the Netherlands is considered. Public funds are used for direct support of pol'al parties in Argentina, Germany, Israel, Turkey & Sweden. Indirect support (tax facilities, air time, etc) is given in many more countries. Arguments against subsidization are: (1) it makes parties dependent on the gov; (2) it freezes the pol'al pattern; & (3) it is contrary to the private character of pol'al parties. The form of subsidization is seen to be an important consideration: a form must be sought which guarantees equality of opportunity between the parties. There are no principle objections to subsidization, however, direct support is rejected for the present because it is difficult to find a system of allocation which is perfect & equitable from all points of view, & because subsidization would serve to increase the psychol'al distance between the parties & the electorate. If subvention is desired, the best system is seen to be one in which allocation depends on the amount contributed by the party members & the number of seats in parliament. This amount would be limited, & the subsidization regulated by law. The parties would be obliged to publish their income & expenditures. Modified HA.

The welfare state is analyzed through positive economic science & positive political theory. The axiomatic theory of consistent choice, leading to the idea of Pareto optimality, provides more rigorous analysis than the theory of the firm & of industrial organization; however, the latter theory more fully merges theory with the empirical testing of hypotheses. Theories of political phenomena can profit more from theories of the latter kind than from theories of the former kind. The central point is production of falsifiable theories of hypotheses & predictions, & the avoidance of confusions of description with prescription in dealing with political life. The debate over whether a socialist economy can coordinate decisions on the use of scarce resources, & the resulting questions over the social & economic role of the state, remain unresolved on theoretical grounds. Thus, economics cannot prescribe the proper role of the state. Attention must be given to the process & meaning of law making, the intended effects of laws & their compatibility with one another. There is thus a need for scientific & parliamentary scrutiny of their implementation in a democratic state under pressure from interest groups. There is a great need for analysis of the processes going on in the crumbling welfare state, rather than propaganda; providing this analysis is part of the vocation of academic leaders. Modified HA.