Ronald A. Francisco – författare

This landmark study describes the momentous events from 1989 to 1991 that led up to German unification, explaining how and why they happened as they did, and analyzing them in relation to issues in comparative and international politics and to current theories in political science. Two specialists, one on Western Germany and the other on Eastern Germany, who were observers there during the period, provide the background for understanding trends in German and European politics in the early 1990s. This text is intended for students of European contemporary history, comparative politics, and international relations.This study links the current history of the peaceful revolution in Germany to an analysis of established theories in comparative politics. An introduction provides some historical background prior to 1989. The text goes on to define conditions in the two Germanies in 1989 and then launches into a discussion about the attitudes and expectations in the West as prospects for unity dawned. Careful attention is then given to the East German revolution and the March 1990 elections. Reasons are given for plans for the early unification of the two Germanies. Then the study focuses on the Federal Republic election of December 1990. The impact of these elections and the unification process on Germany and Europe and the world in the near future is discussed at some length. An appendix provides some basic information about Germany's system of government. A selected bibliography points to important primary and secondary sources.

This landmark study describes the momentous events from 1989 to 1991 that led up to German unification, explaining how and why they happened as they did, and analyzing them in relation to issues in comparative and international politics and to current theories in political science. Two specialists, one on Western Germany and the other on Eastern Germany, who were observers there during the period, provide the background for understanding trends in German and European politics in the early 1990s. This text is intended for students of European contemporary history, comparative politics, and international relations.This study links the current history of the peaceful revolution in Germany to an analysis of established theories in comparative politics. An introduction provides some historical background prior to 1989. The text goes on to define conditions in the two Germanies in 1989 and then launches into a discussion about the attitudes and expectations in the West as prospects for unity dawned. Careful attention is then given to the East German revolution and the March 1990 elections. Reasons are given for plans for the early unification of the two Germanies. Then the study focuses on the Federal Republic election of December 1990. The impact of these elections and the unification process on Germany and Europe and the world in the near future is discussed at some length. An appendix provides some basic information about Germany's system of government. A selected bibliography points to important primary and secondary sources.

Berlin has been a central issue in the postwar dispute between East and West and was often the spark that brought the Soviet bloc and the West to the brink of confrontation. Although the city's role in international politics has been muted in the nearly quarter century since the erection of the Berlin Wall, its political status remains unsettled, and its potential to precipitate a crisis and even a military conflict has lessened only by degree. The contributors to this volume discuss Berlin's future from the perspective of all the major national actors involved. Just as the Quadripartite Agreement of 1971 was a necessary prerequisite for East-West detente, any future change in the division of Germany or in East-West relations will require fundamental shifts in long-held positions on the status of Berlin. The authors show how the perceptions, stakes, and even risks of the Berlin issue vary by nation and explore the reasons why Berlin is likely to continue to be an obstacle to East-West cooperation.

This book discusses Berlin's future from the perspective of all the major national actors involved. It shows how the perceptions, stakes, and even risks of the Berlin issue vary by nation and explores the reasons why Berlin is likely to continue to be an obstacle to East-West cooperation.

This volume evaluates political and economic reforms that occurred during the forty regime transitions. It provides a historical overview and considers the collapse of the regime, the early transition, democratization and economic reform.

This volume evaluates political and economic reforms that occurred during the forty regime transitions. It provides a historical overview and considers the collapse of the regime, the early transition, democratization and economic reform.

Berlin has been a central issue in the postwar dispute between East and West and was often the spark that brought the Soviet bloc and the West to the brink of confrontation. Although the city''s role in international politics has been muted in the nearly quarter century since the erection of the Berlin Wall, its political status remains unsettled, and its potential to precipitate a crisis and even a military conflict has lessened only by degree. The contributors to this volume discuss Berlin''s future from the perspective of all the major national actors involved. Just as the Quadripartite Agreement of 1971 was a necessary prerequisite for East-West detente, any future change in the division of Germany or in East-West relations will require fundamental shifts in long-held positions on the status of Berlin. The authors show how the perceptions, stakes, and even risks of the Berlin issue vary by nation and explore the reasons why Berlin is likely to continue to be an obstacle to East-West cooperation.

Berlin has been a central issue in the postwar dispute between East and West and was often the spark that brought the Soviet bloc and the West to the brink of confrontation. Although the city''s role in international politics has been muted in the nearly quarter century since the erection of the Berlin Wall, its political status remains unsettled, and its potential to precipitate a crisis and even a military conflict has lessened only by degree. The contributors to this volume discuss Berlin''s future from the perspective of all the major national actors involved. Just as the Quadripartite Agreement of 1971 was a necessary prerequisite for East-West detente, any future change in the division of Germany or in East-West relations will require fundamental shifts in long-held positions on the status of Berlin. The authors show how the perceptions, stakes, and even risks of the Berlin issue vary by nation and explore the reasons why Berlin is likely to continue to be an obstacle to East-West cooperation.

This volume evaluates political and economic reforms that occurred during the forty regime transitions. It provides a historical overview and considers the collapse of the regime, the early transition, democratization and economic reform.

This volume evaluates political and economic reforms that occurred during the forty regime transitions. It provides a historical overview and considers the collapse of the regime, the early transition, democratization and economic reform.

shift and dramatic improvementfrom the yearly data of the 1970s. For several years now, disaggregated methods (i. e. , single-case comparisons) have been used to test theories (Davenport and Eads 2001; Rasler 1996; Francisco 1993, 1995, 1996). The single area of Snyder's(Snyder 1978)demandsthat has faltered is in linking levels of analysis in the eld of protest and repression. James DeNardo's (DeNardo 1985) and Lichbach's (Lichbach 1996) formal models have for the most part not beentestedempirically,norhaveRonaldWintrobe's(Wintrobe1998)modelsofd- tators' strategic behavior. The dif culty stems from the disjuncture between game theory or micro models and macro, aggregate data. Green and Shapiro (Green and Shapiro 1994) took an extreme position on this problem: little empirical evidence from rational choice and game theory exists. To the extent that empirical evidence comprises our understanding of politics, rational choice and game theory have - guably contributed as much or more than any other approach.Think of interest group theory before Olson's The Logic of Collective Action, of electoral theory before Cox's (Cox 1997) Making Votes Count, or of coalition theory before Riker's (Riker 1963) The Theory of Political Coalitions. There are few social scientists who would not judge these books as great for economics and political science. Cox's book alone has won every major book prize appropriate in political science. On the normative side, too few political scientists researching democratization are aware of the theory of social choice. Its ndings challenge the foundations of democratic theory (Riker 1982).

The mechanisms of protest and revolution have been the subject of theoretical research for over a century, yet the lack of data has hindered the empirical validation of conflicting theories. In this book, the author presents a unique new set of sub-daily data from over thirty countries and seven civil wars and uses them to test two models of conflict, the predator-prey model and the competing species model. The dynamic nature of the data modelling and the novelty of the dataset make this work a unique contribution to the field of conflict research. Dynamics of Conflict will help to re-evaluate existing theories and chart a new course towards the formal and statistical modelling of conflict.

​The purpose of this book is to provide a hands-on guide to finance and investment for academics with an objective of providing strategies to maximize income, minimize fees, and legally minimize taxes.  There are many risks in finance and investment such as stock market crashes, inflation, corruption, fees and interest rates.  This book stresses that stocks and bonds are the mainstay of most investors. Dividend-growthstocks mitigate the risk of inflation. In addition, they cost nothing once they are purchased, unlike mutual funds that have constant fees.  The author explains how to find dividend-growth stocks whose payout increase exceeds inflation and how to compound quarterly in order to make projections for future growth in the number of shares or in the value of the capital itself.  The author, in addition, discusses the valueof bond funds and master-limited partnerships for an investment portfolio.  Retirement income is a major concern for senior academics and the median level of retirement savings for those 55 to 64 is only $145,000, which is insufficient.  The author stresses the need to mix dividend-growth stocks and closed-end bond funds to fund retirementas well as explains Roth IRAs, 401(k)s and other such tax-free forms ofretirement financing.  Finally, the book examines financial risks and shows how to mitigate them to the extent possible.  This book is a must-have for any professor or academic approaching retirement age or looking to secure their future income.​

​The purpose of this book is to provide a hands-on guide to finance and investment for academics with an objective of providing strategies to maximize income, minimize fees, and legally minimize taxes.  There are many risks in finance and investment such as stock market crashes, inflation, corruption, fees and interest rates.  This book stresses that stocks and bonds are the mainstay of most investors. Dividend-growthstocks mitigate the risk of inflation. In addition, they cost nothing once they are purchased, unlike mutual funds that have constant fees.  The author explains how to find dividend-growth stocks whose payout increase exceeds inflation and how to compound quarterly in order to make projections for future growth in the number of shares or in the value of the capital itself.  The author, in addition, discusses the valueof bond funds and master-limited partnerships for an investment portfolio.  Retirement income is a major concern for senior academics and the median level of retirement savings for those 55 to 64 is only $145,000, which is insufficient.  The author stresses the need to mix dividend-growth stocks and closed-end bond funds to fund retirementas well as explains Roth IRAs, 401(k)s and other such tax-free forms ofretirement financing.  Finally, the book examines financial risks and shows how to mitigate them to the extent possible.  This book is a must-have for any professor or academic approaching retirement age or looking to secure their future income.​

The Political Economy of Collectivized Agriculture/A Comparative Study of Communist and Non-Communist Systems assesses the political and economic impact of collectivization by surveying the experience of several nations with different forms of collective or state farming. Focusing primarily on the Council for Mutual Economic Assistance (CMEA) nations, this book addresses a number of questions, such as whether collectivized agriculture is more or less efficient than private agriculture; whether the manner in which collectivization is implemented affects its success; and whether there are social and political motivations that override economic considerations. This monograph is comprised of nine chapters and opens with a discussion on the advantages and disadvantages of state agriculture in the USSR, followed by an analysis of collectivized agriculture in Romania, Hungary, Czechoslovakia, German Democratic Republic, and Poland. The impact and politics of agricultural collectivization on productivity in China are then examined, paying particular attention to its advantages and drawbacks as well as the factors driving the growth of Chinese agriculture. The experience of Israel with collectivized agriculture is also considered, along with the impact of industrialization and modernization on the kibbutz and the problems associated with embourgeoisement. This text will be of interest to economists, political scientists, and policymakers concerned with agriculture.