Israeli Activism American-Style: Civil Liberties, Environmental, and Peace Organizations as Pressure Groups for Social Change, 1970s-1990s

AbstractThis paper analyses the influence of political institutions on the development of financial cooperatives. It proposes a political economy theory where autocratic regimes deliberately oppose the development of a well-functioning financial cooperative sector to maintain their political influence, and prevent the formation of strong pressure groups that can threaten the current politicalstatus quoand reduce the governing elites’ economic benefits from underdeveloped and exclusive financial sector. Using panel data from 65 developing countries from 1995–2014, the results show that democracy, political rights and civil liberties promote financial cooperative development. These results are robust in controlling for endogeneity as well as other economic and institutional factors.

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Ethical aspects of the non-romantic thinking of Jonáš Záborský and Štefan Launer

Ethics & Bioethics ◽

10.2478/ebce-2020-0020 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 10 (3-4) ◽

pp. 146-154

Author(s):

Pavol Krištof

Keyword(s):

Social Change ◽

Cultural Identity ◽

Civil Liberties ◽

Civic Development ◽

Ethical Aspects

AbstractThe paper focuses on the thinking of Jonáš Záborský (1812–1876) and Štěpán Launer (1821–1851), which were marginalized in Slovak national-forming thinking. Emphasis is placed on the comparison between non-romantic nationalism and Štúr’s ethnic enthusiasm. Attention is paid to the value of their thinking, which can be analyzed in the context of reflections in the role of cultural identity in Štúr’s conception of culture and its place in relation to European cultural and civilizational affiliation. At the same time, the critique of romantic thinking draws attention to the issue of the responsibility of nation-forming elites for the concept of civic development, which holistically approaches social change. Launer’s and, partly Záborský’s thinking draws attention to the dangers associated with the romantic search for ethnocultural specifics, which may result in the questioning the importance of civil liberties and Western cultural and civilizational affiliation.

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Reform of the Mental Health Act 1983

The British Journal of Psychiatry ◽

10.1192/bjp.162.1.14 ◽

1993 ◽

Vol 162 (1) ◽

pp. 14-22 ◽

Cited By ~ 9

Author(s):

Sir John Wood

Keyword(s):

Mental Health ◽

Civil Liberties ◽

Pressure Groups ◽

Mental Health Act

The title of this paper should not be taken to imply that the Mental Health Act tribunal system is not currently effective. There has been little serious criticism of the work of the tribunals, and they appear to have become accepted as a permanent aspect of the detention of patients. Some doctors appear to regard them as an irritation that distracts from the care of patients, and civil liberties pressure groups tend to question their real effectiveness. Careful, detailed studies have also tended to be critical, pointing out many defects that require attention. Peay (1989) has done some impressive research into the work of tribunals which must form the basis of any future reform. Cavidino (1989) has done a much wider study, but underpinned by a ‘theory’ which detracts from its value for tribunal members, and its treatment of tribunals is peripheral, and therefore superficial.

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