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This study first calculates a profit rate for China’s economy over the period 1952–2014; the rate shows a downward trend in the long term but also exhibits cyclical fluctuations. Then, structural vector autoregressive models are used to examine the Chinese economic structure and, thanks to impulse response functions, the role of the profit rate in investment, capital accumulation, and GDP growth rates. Then, based on a priori constraints relative to this structure, the study tests whether these assumptions are verified over the period studied in the context of the transformations of China. The impulse response functions are further examined by using Bayesian analysis. Finally, the authors conclude that the period from 1952 to 2014 should be divided into several sub-periods with distinct structural characteristics.

Confronted with rising poverty after an economic crisis in 1995, the Government of Mexico changed its social policy. It terminated universal subsidies for tortilla and funded new investments in human capital through PROGRESA, an innovative program providing school stipends to poor children as well as health and nutrition benefits. After reviewing the main features of PROGRESA, we use the Gini income elasticity to compare the marginal impact of PROGRESA on income inequality with the impact of other social programs. PROGRESA’s impact appears to be larger than the impact of these other programs. The Gini income elasticity for each program is decomposed into two components to measure the targeting performance of each program (i.e. who is participating and who is not), and the impact of the allocation rules for the distribution of the benefits among program participants. Sensitivity analysis is performed with the extended Gini income elasticity. Beyond the impact on inequality of the cash transfers provided by PROGRESA and other programs, we also discuss the programs’ long-term impact on social welfare. Finally, we propose some areas of improvement in the design of PROGRESA and similar programs.

Around 2006, dissensus became predominant in the Hungarian elite concerning internal affairs. Regarding evaluations of the European integration, however, there were no considerable differences between elite groups at that time. The Hungarian political elite supported the integration process and trusted in EU institutions. The present chapter addresses the issue to what extent the elite attitudes regarding European integration prevailed following the economic crisis of 2008. After a brief overview of the Hungarian context, the authors discuss political elites’ (national MPs’) trust in supranational institutions in 2007 and 2014 in the European countries. Our analyses find that the Hungarian political elite became one of the most sceptical elites towards the EU.

Next, the supranational trust of political elite and other (economic, administrative and media) elite groups within Hungary is compared. Results reveal that among Hungarian elite segments there is a hidden tension: political elites are critical towards the EU, while economic and media elites are not.

Finally, turning to the international stage again, the elite–population opinion gap is investigated. It is usually the case that elites are more pro-European than the public. Recently, however, in some respects the Hungarian political elite has shown less trust in EU institutions than the population.

This paper has two goals. First it determines the respective impacts of variations in the tax rates and in the distribution of pre-tax incomes on changes in tax progressivity in the United Kingdom during the period 1960–2001. Second it checks whether macroeconomic variables or the political cycle influenced the degree of tax progressivity. The results of the empirical analysis show that the significant decrease in tax progressivity observed between 1960 and 1982 was essentially the result of a variation in the distribution of pre-tax incomes. During the later period (1982–2001) the data indicate that there was no significant change in overall progressivity and in the components of its change. The second part of this study indicates that in the long run both inflation and unemployment negatively affect tax progressivity. The impact of the political cycle on tax progressivity is not clear and the results depend on the tax progressivity index that is used. It is interesting to note that in the cases where a political effect is found it indicates that under the Labour party, tax progressivity increased, for a given level of inflation and unemployment. The econometric analysis also shows that in the short run, only unemployment has a significant effect on tax progressivity.

Ambridge has a population of around 700. Of these around 60 have voices heard by around 5 million people per week, a few are named but have no direct voice, and the rest are anonymous and unvoiced. This study explores the perceptions of this anonymous group and their ontological status. Purposive sampling recruited 16 representatives from a variety of demographic groups. Focus groups were used to gather data. A phenomenological approach within an interpretative paradigm was used, with an analytical lens of speculative ontology. Three main themes were identified from the data: the participants perceived an existential co-dependence with the voiced group; most resented their repression and aspired to having a voice, though they perceived this to involve a serious risk of adverse life events and concomitant psychological trauma; all expressed empathy towards the named but unvoiced group, perceiving that group to have an unfairly high risk of adverse life events without the opportunity to vocalise for themselves. The participants appeared to see three distinct classes within the society of the village (based on namedness and voicedness) which transcended the more generally accepted class divisions in UK society which are based on occupation. The unnamed population of Ambridge exists in a state of ontological tension, which is likely to have a negative impact on their psychological wellbeing. This study raises a question about the creator's moral responsibility for this group.