Publications > Cahiers (English)> N° 6, 1st term 1988

• [A political success : questions about social effects of public incentives], S. Maresca
• [Gorbatchev's agricultural planning. The new logic of economic rationalization and decentralization in action], A. Pouliquen
• [Towns and countryside in China], C. Aubert
• [Questioning the technical change]
  • [Technical change and microeconomy], P. Cohendet
  • [To read "The wealth of nations"], F. Guéry

La réussite d'une politique. Interrogation sur les effets sociaux des incitations publiques
[A political success : questions about social effects of public incentives]

S. Maresca

In : Cahiers d'Economie et Sociologie Rurales, n° 6, 1st term 1988, pp 5-40

Abstract : In France, public aids are given to encourage young people to become farmers. Though one can doubt whether they are efficient (there are not much more young new farmers and do they settle in better conditions ?), they appear as an obvious political success. This kind of public incentive seems to bring a small and rather indirect, mainly symbolic, influence upon the running socioeconomic trends which they merely accompany. This points out a more general and complicated problem : how does the political system translate the present social phenomena into "problems" ? Why does it ignore some of them when it decides to take others in charge ? Then, how does it choose its way of acting and get or not a political success ? Only many empirical surveys could answer these questions.

Key-words : political success, public aid, public incentive, France, settlement.

La planification agricole sous Gorbatchev. La nouvelle logique de rationalisation et décentralisation économique en action
[Gorbatchev's agricultural planning. The new logic of economic rationalization and decentralization in action]

A. Pouliquen

In : Cahiers d'Economie et Sociologie Rurales, n° 6, 1st term 1988, pp 41-73

Abstract : Through the Gorbatchevian economic reform, a new method for planning the deliveries of agricultural products to the State has been introduced in March 1986. For each agricultural or territorial sub-unit (farm, district, region), one index representing the productive "potential" is computed then multiplied by a "normative yield". Thus, the authorities intend to correct the unequal distribution of planned resources from the traditionnal "planning from achieved levels". Overstepping of normative deliveries, stimulated by raised incentives and diversified outlets, should indirectly play a crucial role in this respect, by slackening hierarchical tensions. A new dualist model of relations between agricultural sub-units and their environment would definitely separate the "tax in kind" (prodnalog) from a partly autonomous money-market regulation. The former micro-economically "advanced" local leaders whose privileges it threatens could defeat it by skillfully exploiting its "detailed" shortcomings. A "radical restructuring" of the existing social order, which a least till now strived to preserve one of its majors bases - the system of administered economy - seems to be a narrow path. But its economics stake is crucial for the Soviet power.

Key-words : URSS, agricultural planning, economical reform, Gorbatchev, decentralization, incentives.

Villes et campagnes en Chine
[Towns and countryside in China]

C. Aubert

In : Cahiers d'Economie et Sociologie Rurales, n° 6, 1st term 1988, pp 75-113

Abstract : The reforms of the Chinese agriculture, and particularly the decollectivisation completed in the first part of the 80's, have given the start to new migrations of peasants towards the cities and the small towns. Then, the previous situation, characterized by the stagnation of the urbanization movement, the involution of the agricultural development and the aggravation of underemployment in agriculture, has evolved into a stage of real progress as concerns the growth of new towns (especially the small ones), the upgrading of agricultural productivity and the creation of numerous non-agricultural jobs in the countryside. But these new developments are subject to grave uncertainties. It is not sure that the startling growth of the rural non-agricultural entreprises of these last five years will be able to go on for long. So, the eventuality of a massive exodus towards the big cities cannot be eluded if the controls on the population's movement are further relaxed. The very model of the "Chinese way of development" is in question too, as the vigorous growth of capitalist family entreprises in the countryside compete dangerously with the "socialist economy" of the collective ones.

Key-words : town(s), countryside, migration, urbanization, non agricultural job, family entreprises, China.

Questions sur le changement technique
[Questioning the technical change]

In : Cahiers d'Economie et Sociologie Rurales, n° 6, 1st term 1988

• P. Cohendet, Progrès technique et micro-économie
  [Technical change and microeconomy], pp 117-138
• F. Guéry, Lire "La richesse des nations"
  [To read "The wealth of nations"], pp 139-155