Compensating military veterans in South Africa

This article outlines the widespread needs of South African military veterans and the possible consequences if the promises made in the recent Military Veterans Act are not met. The first part of the article defines who generally qualifies as a military veteran, how they are typically compensated in various countries with specific reference to neighbouring southern African countries, and what the consequences are when veterans become disenchanted with the state. The second part focuses on South Africa and the recent debates on military veterans and their entitlements. With reference to the findings of a qualitative study conducted among military veterans, parliamentary debates and media reports, an assessment is made of the demands and affordability of promised benefits and the consequences should the state not deliver. The conclusion is reached that heightened expectations are presently frustrated by slow roll-outs, and this is likely to increase the possibility of protest action. This has now the potential to create further tension within the ruling party and civil society, as the pressure on public finances mounts and demands become unsustainable. The effect this may have on political stability will depend on how the government manages this issue.     

Defence spending and growth in turkey 1954–1993: A causal analysis

This paper investigates the causality issue between military expenditure and growth in the case of Turkey, a strategically located developing country, for the period 1954–1993. Results reported herein reveal the absence of any causal ordering between the variables in question.     

AFRICA

Political violence, at times perceived as terrorism, remains a major security challenge in Swaziland. The common view is that this violence is perpetrated by those who feel marginalised from the political process. Central to the hypothesis advanced in this paper is that any effective solution to the menace of political violence and the security challenges it poses begins with an awareness of the symbiotic relation between security, human rights and democracy. It has been empirically proven that abuse of human rights can lead to violence, which negates peace and security in any society. In terms of content the paper looks at the shape of political violence in Swaziland. Next, it discusses the strategies and ideas behind efforts by the Swazi state to combat political violence and the counter-arguments. The final section shows the inextricable link between security, human rights and democracy; and argues that recognising this linkage can provide the key to unlocking the security puzzle in Swaziland.     

Institutionalizing supreme command: explaining political–military integration in the Vietnam War, 1964–1968

Under what conditions can leaders achieve wartime political–military integration? In the Vietnam War, political–military integration exhibited dramatic variation: in the air war, the US was able to tightly integrate its political objectives and military conduct, but in the ground war, the American military prosecuted a strategy that was both divorced from broader political objectives and was immune from Washington's influence. I argue that the nature of information management between the military and civilian leadership explains the pattern of political–military integration in the Vietnam War more completely than do explanations that focus on the organizational cultures of professional militaries.     

公安边防部队遂行边境封控任务探究

边境封控行动事关国家安全和社会稳定大局,已成为新的历史条件下公安边防部队重要的职能和任务。分析公安边防部队边境封控行动的主要任务,探讨边境封控行动的特点和原则,提出公安边防部队边境封控行动的主要方法。     

山区农村消防工作现状与发展策略初探——以湖南湘西自治州为例

广大农村的安全可持续发展是当前经济社会发展和扶贫攻坚战略实施的一项重大课题.以湘西自治州山区农村消防工作为研究对象,对其消防工作发展现状和存在的突出问题进行了认真思考,在此基础上就如何解决当前山区农村消防工作的瓶颈性问题提出了意见和建议.     

从王安石变法看政策执行的必备要素

政策的执行是一项系统性工作,其中领导者的综合素质、直达基层的领导骨干、及时高效的反馈机制、牢靠的群众基础以及周密配套的实施方案,都是政策执行的必备要素。讨论政策执行的必备要素,对于政策的执行乃至当前的改革,都具有非常重要的现实意义。     

边坡稳定性理论及其局限性

边坡分析理论经过近几十年的发展,基本形成了完善的体系。较为典型的有 极限平衡法,极限分析法,有限元法等。对各种分析方法做了简要的回顾与评述。基于极限 平衡原理发展的各种分析方法,大多需要做许多假设,同时对岩质边坡又不能很好地考虑其 断层节理特征。有限元强度折减法,是近年来发展起来的一种分析方法,与极限平衡法相比 不需要任何假设,可以求得任意形状边坡的临界滑移面及其对应的安全系数,同时可以反映 边坡失稳及塑性区的发展过程,为岩土体边坡分析开辟了新的途径。     

浅析政治文明理论

着重分析政治文明和社会主义政治文明的概念。指出物质文明、政治文明和精神文明的关系为 :三者既是并列的又是相互关联的。物质文明是政治文明和精神文明的基础 ;精神文明反作用于物质文明 ;政治文明是物质文明和精神文明的可靠保证。进而对如何加强社会主义政治文明建设提出了自己的见解。     

浅析信息化社会思想政治教育者的新素质

21世纪 ,人类社会已进入信息化社会。信息化社会使人们的学习方式、生活方式、工作方式、思维方式、道德、心理状况等都发生了诸多改变 ,对思想政治教育也提出了前所未有的挑战。思想政治教育者要合理利用信息社会的有利因素 ,适应信息社会对思想政治教育的新要求 ,努力提高自身的素质 ,积极应对信息时代的新挑战