The Politics of Environmental Policy in the People's Republic of China

The People's Republic of China (PRC) has made substantial progress in developing environmental legislation and a complementary regulatory structure. These gains are directly related to the economic reforms and opening to the outside world that began in the 1970s, which introduced a greater emphasis on efficiency and more awareness of the costs associated with pollution and environmental degradation. However, the economic growth and devolution of power unleashed by the reforms have also created new environmental stresses and to some extent reduced the regulatory capability of governmental authorities. As a result, some environmental stresses are increasing even as progress is made on other fronts. Political participation is restricted and environmental issues only occasionally acquire political salience. However, international pressure on the PRC to conform its conduct to international environmental norms is likely to increase, which is likely to affect domestic policymaking.     

Book reviews

THE SECOND WORLD WAR; Vol. 1: THE GATHERING STORM By Winston S. Churchill. (Cassell. pp. xv+640).

WORKSHOP OF SECURITY. By Paul Hasluck, 1948. (F. W. Cheshire, Melbourne and London. 121 pp.).

AUSTRALIA. Edited by C. Hartley Grattan. (University of California Press, 1947. 444 pages with index).

BURMESE ECONOMIC LIFE. By J. Russell Andrus. 1947 (Stanford University Press. $4.00).     

Report of council

The ancient medina of Fes has retained moving through the gates of the medina and suggests much of its traditional craft‐based industrial economy, relying on a flow of raw materials and goods carried within the old city by human and animal porterage. Vehicular traffic is unable to penetrate much of this area, necessitating considerable transhipment between different transport modes at the edge of the medina. This study examines the type of goods and transport that variations in these are related to the location of functional zones within the medina and to the condition of the urban fabric.     

Barley and identity in the Spanish colonial Audiencia of Quito: Archaeobotany of the 18th century San Blas neighborhood in Riobamba

Archaeological excavation of two late-18th century household middens in the San Blas parish of the colonial city of Riobamba resulted in the recovery of samples of archaeobotanical remains dating to the period before the AD 1797 destruction of the city in an earthquake. These seed remains were dominated by barley (Hordeum vulgare) and quinoa (Chenopodium quinoa). The dominance of these two grains in samples from artisans’ households in this marginal neighborhood suggests that we should question the assumption that imported Old World domesticates were associated with more elite houses during the Spanish colonial period in the Andes.