Documents found
-
646.More information
AbstractThis paper analyses the employment policy advocated by Keynes during the 1930s, by way of a study of his political writings. First, it is shown that the real role of a public work policy is to coordinate the private initiative, in order to reverse entrepreneurs' pessimism. Public works constitute an anti-deflationary policy of fighting involuntary unemployment. On the other hand, in 1937-1939 when the unemployment rate is still at 12 %, Keynes opposes an expansionary demand policy, because of the “true inflation” risks. Indeed, unemployment then mainly results from rigidities on the labour market. The concept of voluntary unemployment is thus relevant to understand the employment policy advocated by Keynes. Finally, this study shows the strong consistency of Keynes' practical positions with the theoretical analysis developed in the General Theory, even if at first sight these positions seem to be surprising. Moreover, following this paper, it is possible to question the relevance of the so-called Keynesian policy after World War II.
-
648.More information
A technological policy, although normally justified by economic factors, nevertheless depends on the political dimensions of public interventions. To understand the context surrounding the development and implementation of the one of Quebec, and to identify the principal constraints which affect its development, we have chosen to study the case of the purchase of microcomputers for the school system in 1984. Emphasis is placed on the role played by each of the actors: the governmental decision-makers, the school boards, France and the industry. The definition and implementation of a technological policy may be seen as a complex phenomenon which involves the coordination of a number of public institutions toward sometimes divergent objectives and the participation of businesses active on the international market.
-
649.More information
The Conference on the social and economic future of Quebec, which was held in March 1996, provided an opportunity to debate the current socioeconomic issues specific to Quebec. Although it is important to distinguish between the political and economic spheres, there is some overlap between the two. However, at the Summit, they seemed to be on parallel tracks, and ethics, the link between the two, suffered as a result. The renewal of the social pact, the ultimate goal of the meeting between the Quebec government and its "partners", was thus in continual confrontation with the constraints of neo-liberalism. What portrait of Quebec society was thus drawn in the discourse of the Summit?