Suchergebnisse

The Second Homes of Urbanités in the French Countryside.
After explaining the originality and history of the "second home" phenomenon in France, the author discusses the relationship of the urban occupant to his country home and the consequences for rural areas of the proliferation of secondary residences. Urbanization, the growth of urban populations and the resulting mediocrity of housing conditions are mainly responsible for the acquisition of country homes; economic factors (increased buying power, desire to make a good investment), actual rural conditions (rural exodus, modernization) as well as a romantic longing for rustic life also contribute. The next part of this article gives certain characteristics of country house owners (social and professional situation, location of permanent residence, age) and shows how these factors influence the location, means of acquisition (inheritance, purchase, construction) and choice of style of the home. The rate of occupancy of the country house varies according to its proximity to the principal residence and according to seasonal and climatic conditions; after retirement, the owner may live there permanently. The effects, if any, on rural areas of the presence of second homes belonging to urbanités are much debated and quite varied but in general are either detrimental (architectural degradation, housing problems, strain on communal budgets) or beneficial (stimulation of local business activities, employment of local inhabitants). The relations between the owners of second homes and the local residents depend on the socio-economic situation of the former and the traditions of hospitality of the latter.

China's demographic situation and employment strategy.
The employment problem in China is specific in more than one respect. On one hand, the Chinese economy evolves on the scale of a continent, which dampens the effect of foreign economic relations and on the other, trade is organized on the basis of substitutions, making it practically possible to consider the Chinese economy as a closed one.
Having established these restrictions, the author traces the demographic picture in China as is appeared during the first years of the Communist regime. He then points out the difficulties encountered in trying to determine the size and growth rate of the Chinese population. The 1953 census serves as a guideline for calculations although its accuracy has been questioned by more than one specialist from the West. In general, statistical data (size of the population, the working age, town and country distribution, a household's principal activity, etc.) are extremely imprecise.
The second part of the article is devoted to the specific nature of employment policy in China. This policy is dependent on the ups and downs of economic development, characterized by successive campaigns launched by the government such as, « the big leap ahead », the creation of communes, the « back to the land » movements, etc. According to the author there was considerable unemployment in the urban sector and considerable under-employment in the rural one. Some efforts were made to absorb the manpower surplus by favoring expansion during the period of socialization and modernization. Attempts were also made, although not altogether successful, to channel the migration flow into the most promising sectors and develop non-agricultural activity in rural areas. All in all, employment practices in China are characterized by numerous experiments and changes in policy which have done little to further a rapid solution to the problem of the effective use of manpower.

Polish Economie Development (1950-1970)
The author begins by pointing out the general characteristics of Polish economic development over the past twenty years, distinguishing four leading phases. Not coinciding with the five year plans, they may be set forth as follows : 1950-1953, 1954-1958, 1959-1962, 1963-1970.
The first phase was one of economic reconstruction linked with rapid development, maximum utilization of the labor force and an increase in the part of investments (destined to produce means of production) in national revenue.
During the second phase there was a slow down in investments and a change was detectable in their orientation, the emphasis being placed on producing consumer goods. During the third phase investments picked up again. This was justified by the need to create new jobs for the young people entering the labor market and by the desire to modernize the economy and develop the leading mechanical and chemical industries. But in reality, this scheme was not followed to the letter. Investments were more frequently oriented towards the extraction of raw materials and the exploitation of sources of fuel and energy. This situation created tensions at the end of the period.
During the fourth and final phase previous development policies, including certain changes intended to assure radical modernization of the Polish economy were pursued.
The author then analyses the evolution of the rate of investments and the growth of national revenue for the entire period under consideration. He denotes a decrease in the growth rate of national revenue in the sixties in spite of the fact that the parts of capital accumulation and investments in national revenue were greater than during the fifties. This he explains by a drop in the average yield of investments and an important rise in capital intensity.
Then follows a study of the part of the growth of labor productivity in the average growth rate of national revenue and a general analysis of the quantative effects of extensive and intensive factors of economic growth. The author attempts to identify the effects of the intensive factors of growth by means of the « residual » method and to isolate the effects of technical and organizational progress by applying an equation of multiple factors to the growth of national revenue. The author concludes that the import of his calculations is in the fact that they inform of the general evolution of Polish economy over an extended period and illustrate the errors made consequent to the adoption of a set strategy of development.