Everything that rises must converge: a neo-Marxist analysis of Canadian business-government relations

The following thesis presents an analysis of business-government relations within a neo-Marxist framework. Specifically, the discussion encompasses how the business interest group. the Business Council on National Issues, maintains consensus and unity amongst its monopoly capital members. Furthermore. the study elaborates on the process through which the group's interests are acknowledged and legitimized by the state under the "public interest" f8fue. Most of the literature pertaining to business-government relations within the context of interactions between business interest groups and the state, and such specific branches of the state as the government and/or the civil service. emphasize a liberal-pluralist perspective. Essentially, these writings serve to reflect and legitimate the current slatus quo. Marxist discourses on the subject, while attempting to transcend the liberal-pluralist framework. nevertheless suffer from either economic determinism .. ie., stressing the state's accumulation function but not its legitimation function or historical specificity. A cogent and comprehensive neo-Marxist analysis of business-government relations must discuss both the accumulation and legitimation functions of the state. The process by which the concerns of a particular business interest group become part of the state's policy agenda and subsequently are formulated and implemented into policies which legitimate its dominance is also studied. This inquiry is significant given the liberal-pluralist assumptions of a neutral state and that all interest groups compete "on a level playing field". The author's neo-Marxist paradigm rejects both of these assumptions. Building on concepts from nea-Marxist instrumentalism. structuralism. state monopoly capitalism, and forms and functions of the state perspectives. the author proposes that policies which legitimize the interests of the monopoly capital fraction cannot. be discerned only from the state's activities. per StJ. Clearly, if the liberal-pluralist 3 contention of multiple and conflicting interest groups, including those within the capitalist class, is taken at face value, M interest group such as the Business Council on National Issues (BCND, must somehow maintain. internal consensus Md unity amongst its members. Internal consensus amongst its members ensures that the state can better acknowledge and articulate its concerns into policies that maintain hegemonic dominance of the monopoly capital fraction under the "public interest" fllf.JJdq. The author contends that the BCNI focuses most of its interactions on the upper echelons of the civil service since it is this branch of the state which is most responsible for policy formulation and implementation. The author's paradigm is applied within the context of extensively analyzing newspaper coverage. BCN! publications, and other published sources, as well as a personal interview with an executive administrative member of the BeNI. The discussion focuses on how agreement and unity amongst the various interests of the monopoly capital fraction are maintained through the business organization, its policy scope, and finally its interactions with the state. The analysis suggests that while the civil service is an important player in expressing the interests of the BCNI's membership through policies which ostensibly also reflect the "public interest", it is not the only strategic target for the BCNI's interactions with the state. The author's research also highlights the importance of government officials at the Cabinet level and Cabinet Committees. Senior elected officials from the Federal government are also significant in avoiding intergovernmental or interprovincial conflict in implementing policies that legitimize hegemonic dominance of the monopoly capital fraction over other fractions and classes.

Pursuing a Developmental State Trade Agenda in a Neo-Liberal Context

This book explains why it was possible for the Worker’s Party (PT) in Brazil and the African National Congress (ANC) in South Africa to pursue a developmental state trade policy, in spite of neoliberal constraints. The major theoretical lenses are three-fold. It applies state theory (macrolevel), policy network analysis (meso-level) and theories on political parties with emphasis on factional politics (micro-level). This book highlights the socio-political relevance of comparatively progressive policy frameworks and expands the debate on how to re-gain national policy space for progressive reform policies even under neoliberal constraints.

Mediterr??neo, bosque amigo

Gu??a did??ctica realizada con motivo de la exposici??n del mismo nombre cuyo objetivo es crear conciencia de la inmensa tarea que nos ata??e a todos los ciudadanos, potenciar el respeto por la naturaleza, su desarrollo y conservaci??n y llegar a un compromiso de toda la sociedad para proteger nuestro bosque como patrimonio natural, el m??s rico de Europa. Concebido en cuatro bloques, el primero 'Bosque Mediterr??neo' aborda un conjunto de aspectos sobre su funcionamiento como ecosistema y sobre las caracter??sticas b??sicas que lo definen: estructura, relaciones con el medio, intercambios, etc. 'El Bosque amigo' resalta los aspectos esenciales en la relaci??n bosque-seres humanos y los usos que hemos obtenido de ??l. 'El Bosque en Peligro' es una peque??a muestra de las consecuencias del desarrollo desequilibrado, de la insostenibilidad de nuestro progreso. El ??ltimo ??mbito, 'La Conservaci??n del Bosque', supone la reacci??n contra el progresivo deterioro.

La neo educaci??n liberal : una visi??n general acerca de las ideas neoliberales sobre educaci??n

Resumen tomado de la publicaci??n

The importance of causal connections in the comprehension of spontaneous spoken discourse. 'La importancia de las conexiones causales en la comprensi??n de discurso oral espont??neo'

Resumen tomado de la publicaci??n

Memoria sobre las antigüedades neo-granadinas

Contiene la etnología de los chibchas, etnología de las armas, la escultura en América, los tunjos de oro y sus usos.

Caus humans (Mediterr??nea). 'Guaridas humanas (Mediterr??neo)'

Resumen del v??deo en catal??n

Camps i boscos devorats (Mediterr??nea). 'Campos y bosques devorados (Mediterr??neo)'

Resumen del v??deo en catal??n

Arriba el peix blau (Mediterr??nea). 'Llega el pescado azul (Mediterr??neo)'

Resumen del v??deo en catal??n

El m??n de la sal (Mediterr??nia). 'El mundo de la sal (Mediterr??neo)'

Resumen del v??deo en catal??n

El m??n del vi (Mediterr??nia). 'El mundo del vino (Mediterr??neo)

Resumen del v??deo en catal??n

Ocells del fred (Mediterr??nia). 'P??jaros del fr??o (Mediterr??neo)'

Se explican las causas que provocan las migraciones. Muestra las principales rutas migratorias y los estilos de viaje seg??n la morfolog??a y las necesidades alimentarias de las aves. Presenta algunas de las aves migratorias que llegan al Mediterr??neo. Habla de las principales fuentes alimenticias de las aves que nidifican en las ci??nagas. Expone las consecuencias de la contaminaci??n por plaguicidas en las aves migratorias. Muestra diversas t??cnicas de caza e insiste en la necesidad de regularla para evitar la desaparici??n de las especies m??s amenazadas.

Camps de fusta (Mediterr??nia). 'Campos de madera (Mediterr??neo)'

El v??deo explica las especies de madera que existen en el ecosistema del mar mediterr??neo. La diferencia entre una plantaci??n de madera y la reforestaci??n. El proceso de plantaci??n y recolecci??n de las plantaciones m??s comunes en el ??rea mediterranea: con??feras.El uso industrial de las plantaciones de madera, la pasta de papel,etc..

Quan l'aigua escasseja (Mediterr??nia). 'Cuando el agua escasea (Mediterr??neo)'

El v??deo describe los m??todos de obtenci??n de agua en el Mediterr??neo. Los m??todos tradicionales de aprovechamiento del agua. M??todos modernos como el riego por aspersi??n, riego de goteo, invernaderos, pantanos, etc..

Ciencias para el mundo contempor??neo : ??una materia para la participaci??n ciudadana?

Aprobada la Ley Org??nica de Educaci??n por el Parlamento espa??ol en la que se incluye una nueva materia com??n para el bachillerato, las ciencias para el mundo contempor??neo, se plantean algunos de los interrogantes b??sicos a los que es conveniente responder para definir esta asignatura y dise??ar su curr??culo, y se sugieren algunas de las alternativas que permitir??an dibujar su perfil en la l??nea de experiencias educativas exitosas.