略论美国内战在经济上的代价和影响

查尔斯和玛利·比尔德在他们的名著《美国文明的兴起》中把内战称为“第二次美国革命”。这不仅仅是因为内战解放了 40 0万黑奴和废除了奴隶制 ,而且是因为比尔德夫妇认为内战推动了美国工业资本主义的迅速发展。路易斯·海克后来对此作了进一步阐发。他认为内战中的政治权力转移替“工业资本主义的代言人”提供了完成其经济蓝图的机会。海克引述为证的战时措施包括关税、《银行法》、铁路土地赠与、《宅地法》、《莫里尔法》以及《契约劳工法》等等 ①。在比尔德和海克看来 ,内战是美国资本主义经济发展中的一个分水岭或者说转折点。他们这…     

土地革命战争时期中共关于农村秘密社会工作的政策与策略

秘密社会问题是中国民主革命中面临的一个实际问题和政策问题.大革命失败后,随着游民阶层的膨胀,中国秘密社会的基础更加扩大,并控制了大量劳动群众,而且拥有一定的武装力量.它们虽不是中国民主革命的基本力量,但不可忽视.因此,中国共产党人在土地革命战争时期从事农村革命根据地创建的过程中,为了团结一切可以团结的力量,最大限度地孤立和分化敌人,对农村秘密社会采取了灵活的政策和策略,有效地利用和改造了这股巨大的社会势力,既为中国工农红军的发展和根据地的开辟创造了有利条件,也为中共以后开展秘密社会工作积累了丰富的历史经验.     

日俄战争对近代中韩关系的影响

在日俄战争期间,中国清政府与大韩帝国都曾宣布“局外中立”,却一同沦为这场帝国主义战争中直接遭受日俄军队侵略的一对“中立国家”。不仅如此,两国的双边关系也受到直接的影响,如两国边界问题及渔业利益纷争就没有得到中央政府层面的及时协商与处理,从而成为此后影响两国关系发展的悬案。在1905年9月日俄签订的《朴茨茅斯条约》中,中韩两国的领土主权更是成为日俄两个帝国主义之间分赃的牺牲品,大韩帝国沦为日本的“保护国”与中韩两国公使级外交关系的终结便是其直接的后果,从而导致了中韩两国及其双边关系在近代东亚乃至世界国际关系中的进一步边缘化。     

论古代战争对政治权力的影响——以战利品赏赐与人力资源为例

本文从三个方面分析了战争与政治权力的关系,并以战利品的赏赐和人力资源的利用为例,探讨了古代战争对政治权力的影响。作者的论点是：战争可以通过各种物质因素影响政治权力。战争需要从多方面进行投资,其结果也直接影响国家的物质基础。赏赐战利品对王权产生双重影响,既可以激励士兵,提高军人的忠诚度,也可以导致军人压力集团的形成或军心涣散,从而削弱王权。新的人力资源（战俘、奴隶和臣民）为巩固王权提供了便利条件。作者认为对殉葬的传统解释过分强调政治层面而忽略了这一现象的宗教文化因素。     

1965年印巴战争与美国的反应和政策

1965年印巴战争不仅是印度和巴基斯坦在克什米尔问题上矛盾和冲突发展的结果,更为重要的是,这还是1962年中印边界冲突后大国关系在南亚地区变化的直接结果。1962年中印边界冲突之后,美国决策者把遏制中国作为其南亚地区政策的核心,同时以军事援助和经济援助作为实现其南亚政策目标的主要手段。但是,美国的政策中存在着援助印度对抗中国与同时发展同巴基斯坦的同盟关系之间不可调和的矛盾。美国对1965年印巴战争的反应和政策,就是以不介入及以停止援助作为迫使印巴接受停火的压力,而这在很大程度上是对巴基斯坦发展同中国关系的惩罚。美国的政策实际上丧失了对印巴两国施加影响的渠道,这不仅使得苏联在调停印巴关系中发挥了主导作用,而且也导致苏联在1965年印巴战争后大力援助印度并发展同巴基斯坦的关系以及巴基斯坦发展和密切同苏联及中国的关系,美国在南亚地区的影响迅速减退。美国对1965年印巴战争的反应和政策表明,以对外援助作为实现美国在第三世界的战略目标的主要手段,其作用和影响力是极其有限的。     

Domestic Impact of the Korean War

Book reviewed in this article:
Paul G. Pierpaoli, Truman and Korea: The Political Culture of the Early Cold War     

The Impact of the First World War and the Polish-Soviet War on the ‘Culture of Suffering’ in Post-1914 Polish Fiction

ABSTRACT

Using Jeffrey C. Alexander’s theory of cultural trauma, this article focuses on the three major types of narratives of suffering which appeared in Polish fiction, after Poland regained political independence in 1918, outside the strong myth-creating narrative of the Polish Legions’ role in the war for independence. It argues that Polish post-1918 fiction developed these three major paths in the face of suffering inflicted on Polish lands, during WWI and Polish-Soviet War. These paths were to: 1) continue the narrative of Polish suffering within the framework of heroic, and selfless, sacrifice for Poland that has been well established since Romanticism; 2) present suffering as the universal fate of humanity outside the notion of national identity, due to the monstrosity of modern bureaucratic systems wherein human beings are treated as objects; and 3) present suffering as the result of modern warfare, but told outside of “patriotic phraseology” – thus suggesting a growing need as to finding a solution to national conflicts outside narrowly defined identities.     

The Geography of the Anthropocene in New Zealand: Differential River Catchment Response to Human Impact

New Zealand provides a useful environment to test the notion that the Anthropocene is a new geological epoch. There are two well‐dated anthropogenic impact ‘events’: Polynesian settlement c. AD 1280, and European colonisation c. AD 1800. Little attention, however, has been given to regional catchment response to these, although it has been assumed that both Polynesian and European farming and land use management practices significantly increased erosion rates across most of New Zealand. This paper addresses the nature and timing of human impacts on river systems using meta‐analysis of a recently compiled nationwide database of radiocarbon‐dated fluvial deposits. This shows highly variable human impacts on erosion and sedimentation in river systems, which are often difficult to separate from naturally driven river activity. Catchment‐scale data with high resolution dating control record clearer evidence of human disturbance. In Northland, anthropogenic alluviation is recorded from c. AD 1300 linked to early Polynesian settlement, enhanced further in the late 19th and 20th centuries by European land clearance, when sedimentation rates exceeded 25 mm year^?1. This study demonstrates significant geographical variability in the timing of human impact on river dynamics in New Zealand, despite two synchronous phases of human settlement, and highlights the difficulty of formally designating a simple and single ‘Anthropocene Epoch/Age’.     

Reinhold Niebuhr and the US War on Terror: A Response to Dr Gilkey

Abstract

Building upon Langdon Gilkey's reflection on Reinhold Niebuhr's Moral Man and Immoral Society, this article examines Niebuhr's enduring contribution in relation to two pressing international concerns: religious terrorism and the US War on Terror. As these two issues are characterized by their suppression of reason, I argue that Niebuhr's critical understanding of reason, a human rational capacity to consider interests other than one's own, offers an important resource in rectifying the disorder created by the two issues. Despite his stringent critique of a liberal idealistic view of reason, Niebuhr refused to completely deny the value of reason; although reason is always tainted by sin, it is not entirely ineffectual. This critical notion of reason is a necessary antidote to the unilateralism of the Bush administration and religious fundamentalism which altogether reject a dialogical, reflective value of reason. In an increasingly interdependent global society, a critical use of reason is indispensable for the achievement of global peace and justice.     

Dead Hookers and Las Vegas: A Response to the Critics of my Article and the War in Iraq

Abstract

America and its allies took a bold step in launching a pre-emptive strike hoping to create a safer and better world. They did not possess a complete knowledge of the facts. They did not present a simple calculus to justify the action. They decided it was better to act than twiddle their thumbs wondering when and how a menacing regime would fulfill its threats. Their critics might prove them wrong. The pretext for going to war was questionable. The attempt to change the political landscape seems doomed to failure. But foolish people are the ones who dare to dream and act. Their activity is less than perfect and their success never guaranteed, but sometimes the God of all mercy uses what cannot stand on its own merit and effort and blesses it through the omnipotence of his will.