Financial Inclusion: Globally Important Determinants

This paper highlights the globally-important determinants of financial inclusion. The determi-nants identified in this paper are formal account ownership; demand for formal savings; demand for formal borrowing; financial literacy and education; debit and credit card usage; the need to receive remittances from family and friends; size of the financial system; number of automated teller machines (ATMs); number of bank branches; proximity to a bank; availability and access to mobile phones; availability of digital financial products and services; technology infrastructure; government policy; culture and traditional belief systems; national financial inclusion strategy and implementation; and direct legislation.

Prohibition Plebiscites on the Prairies: (Not-So) Direct Legislation and Liquor Control in Alberta, 1915–1932

Since its introduction into North America in the late nineteenth century, direct democracy, particularly in the form of direct legislation, has periodically piqued the interest of legal scholars. A handful of studies have examined the history of direct legislation in the United States and in Canada; however, these studies often fail to examine how direct legislation was actually used. Brief references might be given to which initiatives the voters attempted to secure via direct legislation, but the actual mechanics of the vote, and questions such as what the ballot said, for example, are typically overlooked.