Suchergebnisse

Many attempts to operationalize the ecological concept of sustainability have been undertaken by the economics profession during recent years. It seems that many mainstream economists tend to focus their research on the assumption of substitutability between man-made (manufactured) capital and natural capital (natural resources, goods and services). The crucial points of this discussion can be seen especially in contributions by R. Solow (on a more theoretical level) and by R. Atkinson and D. Pearce (on an empirical level) who all plead for at least partial substitutability. As H. Daly has pointed out, the assumption of substitutability cannot be drawn in the search for an adequate treatment of natural resources in economic and ecological modeling and policy. The paper tries to clarify some questions regarding weak and strong sustainability indicators as well as sustainability rules for dealing with regional natural resources. In the first part of the paper, the assumption of substitutability is discussed in various aspects. Given weak sustainability indicators, calculating the ?sustainability" of a regional system (or national economy) becomes almost trivial. If the rate of depreciation of natural capital is at least offset by savings (accumulation) of man-made capital then the economy is on a sustainable development path. Besides the missing of the social ?branch" of sustainability, the depreciation-savings approach lacks understanding of the fundamental objections against monetizing natural resources (e. g. biodiversity). Some crucial aspects in this context are discussed in the paper (e. g. lexicographic preferences, ?consumer"-vs.-?citizen" approach). The strong sustainability indicators are in favor of different approaches, e. g. the save-minimum-approach. The second part of the paper deals with practical sustainability rules on a regional level regarding water resources. If sustainability as a concept for future ecological, economic and social development is taken seriously, only physical constraints (taking time as an additional factor of production into account) and an applied precautionary principle can indeed lead to sustainability. Congress topic: Environmental Management, Sustainability and Development Keywords: Weak/Strong Sustainability Indicators; Regional Indicators for Sustainable Development

An extensive collection of Spanish maize was subjectively classified into 20 races and 32 intermediate varieties using morphological and agronomic data. Five of those 32 varieties were lost, and the remaining 47 populations are maintained at the Misión Biológica de Galicia. The objectives of the present study were to investigate the isozyme variation and the historical relationships of the Spanish maize races and intermediate varieties. Eleven isozyme systems encoded by 20 loci (15 polymorphic) were used to classify 20 races and 27 intermediate varieties. The isozyme classification showed that the intermediate varieties did not cluster together with their corresponding main races. Twenty-seven of the 47 populations originated from a single geographic area. Thus, a second isozyme classification was made for these 27 populations to investigate the relationships between the isozyme classification and the variability expected from historical records. The isozyme classification presented five to ten clusters. The first introductions of maize from the West Indies came to southern Spain and had little success. Guatemalan maize was more successful in the South of Spain and appears to have expanded to the East. South American maize had less influence in Spain than North American maize. North American maize was well established in the North and Northwest of Spain around the 17th Century, and it kept coming during the succeeding Centuries, including hybrids of the modern race Corn Belt Dent. The conclusions are (1) the classification of Spanish maize into 20 races and 27 intermediate varieties does not appear to reflect the structure of the variability of Spanish maize, and (2) maize came to Spain from all over the Americas, mainly from Central America at the beginning and from North America during the last four centuries. Although most of the primitive introductions may have been lost, some remain in our collection of local maize varieties; these represent a unique set of tropical to temperate populations adapted to temperate European conditions. ; Research supported by the European Union (Project RESGEN-CT96-88). ; Peer reviewed

Full-text academic style paper that describes an original research study based on a random sample of employees working for a state-wide government organization, which was the customer of the external EAP program vendor. The study uses survey data and matched two-years of health care claims data. 12 pages. 2 Tables. 4 References. ; As the cost of health care has increased so have efforts to control costs. An assumption underlying many of these efforts is that health care costs can be predicted. A corollary assumption is that if costs can be predicted, then they can be managed. One fact used to support this approach is that a small group of people typically do create the vast majority of health care costs. The 20/80 rule indicates that within a given population, 20% of the people create 80% of the costs for a year period, with this high-cost subpopulation being called the "pareto group." If one could predict who the pareto group will be, then the task of managing costs could be directed toward this smaller group rather than to all people in a health care system. This study investigated the stability of heath care costs using a methodology featuring a two-year longitudinal design, stratified random sampling, a large sample size (N = 974), claims system data and self-report survey data, and statistical testing. The typical "regression to the mean" effect was observed, as extreme cases (both high cost and low cost) moved toward the middle during the next year. Almost two-thirds of cases changed their claims cost group status from one year to the next year. The "pareto" group (top 20% of costs in the past year) was the most unstable, with less than 4% still classified at the same highest-cost level the following year. The most striking finding was that 92% of future claims costs could not be predicted, even when using past claims costs and relevant survey data on age, sex, health care visits and psycho-social concerns. Cost control implications of prevention, health promotion, and demand management services (such as ...

The European Eco-Management and Audit Scheme and the ISO 14001 environmental management standard are currently getting widely adopted by firms. This research shows that the diffusion represents a significant step of the environmental management rationalisation (in firms). This phenomenon gets benefit from the very wide diffusion of quality assurance's standards. The latests' principles are being transposed to environment by means of environmental management schemes. Indeed the application of those standards relies on competencies acquired by industrial organisations regarding quality management : activity's formalisation, management tools, transversal management. However, the " extension " of the quality assurance to new applications fields take a specific meaning in regard of the current evolution of environmental issues. In fact, environmental management schemes contribute to the emergence of a negociated regulation of environment. A higher competency of the industrialists, the involvment into an innovation and permanent improvement's dynamic as well as the investment into management tools allow the firms to be an actor of this negociated regulation. ; Les référentiels de " management environnemental ", le Règlement Européen Éco-audit et la norme ISO 14001, connaissent aujourd'hui une large diffusion auprès des entreprises. La thèse montre que cette diffusion constitue une étape significative de la rationalisation de la gestion de l'environnement dans l'industrie. Certes, ce phénomène hérite de la très large diffusion des normes d'assurance de la qualité. En effet, les référentiels de management environnemental transposent à l'environnement les principes de ces dernières. Aussi, la mise en oeuvre de ces référentiels s'appuie-t-elle sur les compétences acquises par les organisations industrielles en matière de gestion de la qualité : formalisation des activités, instrumentation de gestion, gestion transversale. Cependant, cette " extension " du champ d'application de l'assurance qualité prend un sens particulier au regard de l'évolution actuelle des enjeux environnementaux. En effet, les référentiels de management environnemental participent à l'émergence d'une régulation négociée de l'environnement. Une plus grande compétence de l'industriel, l'engagement dans une dynamique d'innovation et d'amélioration permanente et l'investissement dans une instrumentation de gestion lui permettent d'être acteur de cette régulation négociée.

Using her capital, San Juan de Puerto Rico as its model, the paper describes city and territorial planning in Puerto Rico over the five centuries that separate the 16"C. From the present day, in doing so, taking into account both that Spanish constructive heritage and those North American influences upon the same that have been part and parcel of the country' s social and urban history. The author for this makes use of research done at archives in both in Spain and Puerto Rico as well as of maps of the island's city lay outs hitherto unavailable. With respect to Spanish colonial period, the legislation that had a bearing upon the establishing of those zones that have since become the historical planning framework are closely studied. The author gives an up-dated bibliography of studies in his field and points up matters that he feels warrant further study. That from which much might be learnt along with that which best might serve as a warning as to city and territorial planning both culled from her history are underlined as being together that which could be called the island 's live planning memory ; El artículo reseña cinco siglos de urbanismo puertorriqueño desde el siglo XVI al presente y se enfoca en su capital, San Juan de Puerto Rico. En ese recorrido se examinan la herencia constructiva española y las influencias norteamericanas que han marcado la historia social y urbana del país. El autor se sirve de la investigación en archivos de Puerto Rico y España y de la interpretación de planos inéditos de los espacios urbanos puertorriqueños. Para el período colonial español examina la legislación que influenció la creación de los espacios que hoy son los tejidos históricos. El autor anota la bibliografia reciente sobre el tema y va señalando asuntos que requieren futura investigación. Las buenas lecciones y los malos ejemplos de la historia están plasmados en el territorio nacional como memoria viva de la tradición urbana.

One of the most prolific theologians from the Crown of Aragon in terms of literatura was Frances Eisimenis. He was a nativa of Gerona, city where he was supposedly born around 1327. He developed an intense political and religious activity, directly linking himself to kings such as Juan I and Martin el Humano. During the last years of his life he was appointed patriarch of Jerusalem and bishop of Elna. He died in Perpignan in 1409. Outstanding moralist and theologian of scholastic tradition, he compilas his thoughts in a copious literary work, in comparison to other readings from the age that achieved more or less artistic fortuna. Among his works we can specially stand out Lo Crestià, a magnum encyclopedia that comprised the writing of thirteen volumes but he could only finish four. The most artistically significan volumes that can be named are Libre dels àngels, Scala Dei or Psalterium Laudatorium. With this research we intend to analyze the iconographic contributions of these manuscripsts, occasionally of great originality with influences that bind us to look for his background in the Italian republics. ; Uno de los teólogos más prolíficos a nivel literario de la Corona de Aragón fue Francesc Eiximenis. Natural de Gerona, ciudad donde se supone nacería en torno a 1327, desarrolló una intensa actividad política y religiosa, vinculándose directamente a monarcas como Juan I y Martín el Humano. Durante los últimos años de su vida fue nombrado patriarca de Jerusalén y obispo de Elna, falleciendo en Perpignan en 1409. Notable moralista y teólogo de tradición escolástica, recopiló sus pensamientos en una copiosa obra literaria que en comparación con otras lecturas de la época se iluminaron con mayor o menor fortuna artística. Entre sus obras destaca especialmente "Lo Crestià", magna enciclopedia que incluía la redacción de trece volúmenes de los que sólo pudo concluir cuatro, el "Llibre dels àngels", "Scala Dei o el Psalterium Laudatorium", por citar los más significativos artísticamente. Con este estudio pretendemos analizar las aportaciones iconográficas de estos códices, ocasionalmente de gran originalidad, con influencias que nos obligan a buscar sus antecedentes en las repúblicas italianas.

Die Dissertation leistet einen Beitrag zu einem maßgeblichen Diskussionsstrang der Transformationsforschung, der politische, administrative und gesellschaftliche Auswirkungen kultureller Aspekte im Vereinigungs- und Integrationsprozeß Ostdeutschlands analysiert. Am Beispiel Ost-Berliner Bezirksverwaltungen wird der Verlauf ihrer Transformation von einer "real-sozialistischen zur klassisch-(west-)europäischen Verwaltung" (Klaus König) untersucht. Im Mittelpunkt der Arbeit steht die Frage, ob Handlungsorientierungen des Personals, welches in der DDR sozialisiert wurde, den radikalen institutionellen Umbruchsprozeß überdauerten und inwieweit solche "legacies" (Hellmut Wollmann) Unterschiede zu Orientierungen des Personals in der West-Berliner Bezirksverwaltung begründen. Zu diesem Zweck rekonstruiert der Verfasser realtypische Handlungsorientierungen im DDR-Verwaltungsbereich Referat Jugendhilfe (Akten- und Dokumentenanalyse, "oral history"-Interviews) und stellt sie mit Hilfe eines fünfdimensionalen Schemas denen in der Verwaltung westdeutscher Prägung gegenüber. Anschließend werden unter Verwendung von qualitativen und quantitativen Methoden der Einstellungsforschung Orientierungen des Personals in der Sozial- und Jugendverwaltung Ost- und West-Berliner Bezirksverwaltungen vergleichend analysiert. Im resümierenden Fazit entwickelt der Verfasser Hypothesen zu (verwaltungs-)kulturellen Aspekten des Integrationsprozesses Ost-Berliner Bezirksverwaltungen und stellt sie in den Kontext des Verlaufes ostdeutscher Verwaltungstransformation. ; This dissertation contributes to the important theme of discussion, analysing the transformational development of the political, administrative and sociological effects and their impact on cultural aspects, with regards to the reunification and reintegration process in East Germany. East Berlin borough administrative bodies have been used as examples to research the course of their transformation from a "socialist, to a classical (west) European administration" (Klaus König). This work centres around the question of how the personnel coped with the orientation, which in the GDR was socialist, survived the process of radical institutional change, and how far such "legacies" (Hellmut Wollmann) provide reasons for differences in the orientation of the personnel in the boroughs of West Berlin. For this reason, the author has reconstructed the typical GDR-orientations in the field of Youth-Work-Administration (Analysis of files and documents, oral-history interviews), which stand in opposition, with the help of a five dimensional scheme, to the administrative character of West Germany. A comparative analysis follows making use of qualitative and quantitative methods regarding recruitment development orientation of the personnel through a comparison of the Social and Youth-Work administrative bodies of East and West Berlin boroughs. In conclusion, the author develops hypotheses regarding (administrative-) cultural aspects of the integration process of the East Berlin borough administrations, and places these in context with the course of the East German transformation.

This study is intended as a step towards the full uncovery of the textual and contextual, cross-cultural and particularistic aspects of the contested notion of oral performances. The data comprise conversational storytelling performances from Greece. To capture the interplay between conventional resources and contextual contingencies involved in any performance, the study employs the three dimensions of narrativity, teller-tale-telling (Blum-Kulka, 1997), as the loci of performances. With respect to the tale, Greek stories range from mini-performances to full-fledged or sustained performances. The choice of one or the other is interrelated to a story's episodic structuring, topic, and purposes of telling. A constellation of devices (keys) form the hallmarks of Greek performances; these are classified as poetic or theatrical. With regard to the stories' telling, it is argued that the teller-audience interactional norms are geared towards granting strong floor-holding rights and upholding full-fledged, single-teller performances which call attention to the teller's skill and autonomy. Finally, the locus of teller is proposed as the main site for the emergent properties of performance events. It is also argued that the relationship between these properties and the teller can be best explored with reference to the concept of positioning (Bamberg, 1997). This allows us to shed light on how performance devices, in their individualized and local uses, act as indexes of personal and sociocultural identities. The study's findings point to avenues for future research and suggest analytical ways of pursuing it. Specifically, the classification of performance keys as poetic or theatrical could be useful for the exploration of cross-cultural aspects of performance styles. In addition, the "Greek" performance devices reinforce the assumption that there is a certain set of devices typical of verbal art cross-culturally; this needs to be further documented. Overall, the study aims at demonstrating the validity and necessity of exploring the pragmatic work which performance keys accomplish in interactional contexts.
{Narrative performance, Emergence, Teller-tale-telling, Positioning)

AbstractThe market model is commonly used in finance to study events and to evaluate security performance. With daily data, it is not uncommon to find low R‐squares, in the range 0–10%. Prior studies have attempted to improve the fit of the model by excluding observations associated with high trading volume. In this study, we compare the results of the high‐volume‐exclusion approach with the more direct firm‐specific announcement exclusion approach. The announcement approach excludes observations associated with Wall Street Journal Index news items regarding the firm. By excluding the [−1,0] fays relative to such news in a sample of 68 firms, we find that R‐squares increase significantly by about 5%. By excluding the days relative to earnings announcements only, R‐squares increase by about 4%. These results are then compared to the high‐volume‐exclusion approach. It is found that this approach is more efficient as an 8% increase in R‐squares is produced.The results of this study provide valuable evidence to empiricists by comparing the two approaches to improving the fit of the market model. The high‐volume ‐exclusion approach provides higher R‐squares. However, the relative efficiency of the two approaches should be balanced against the arguments for the methodologically correct approach. The advantage of using the firm‐specific announcement exclusion approach is that there is more confidence of excluding only firm‐specific movements from the estimation of the market model. It also allows a researcher to quickly and unambiguously identify the announcements and delete the corresponding observations. Furthermore, we find that about 50% of the improved fit, relative to the volume approach, can be accomplished by excluding earnings announcements. The methodological disadvantage of using the high‐volume‐exclusion approach is that it is affected not only by firm‐specific announcements but also by other factors, such as the heterogeneity of investor expectations. These factors may influence the choice of using firm‐specific announcements rather than the high‐volume approach despite the lower increment in R‐squares.

AbstractAs part of an ongoing research program on charismatic leadership, Conger and Kanungo (1994) developed and tested a questionnaire to measure the perceived behavioural dimensions of charismatic leadership as proposed in their model (1987, 1988). This article reports on further analyses of the dimensionality and validity of the Conger‐Kanungo‐scale. It begins with a reanalysis of the data from the 1994 study. It then reports on three separate studies conducted in the United States using managers (N=W3), in Canada using political party delegates (N=71), and in India using clerical staff (N=98), to examine convergent and discriminant validity. The results of the dimensionality analyses suggest a five‐factor model consistent with the Weberian notion of charismatic leadership. The results of the U.S., Canadian, and Indian studies provide further evidence that the Conger‐Kanungo scale has acceptable reliability and validity as a diagnostic tool in diverse contexts.RésuméDans le cadre d'un programme de recherche en cours sur le leadership charismatique, Conger et Kanungo (1994) ont congu et testé un questionnaire pour mesurer les dimensions comportementales du leadership charismatique perçues telles que proposées dans leur modele (1987, 1988). Cette communication rend compte d'autres analyses de la dimensionalité et de la validité de I'échelle de Conger‐Kanungo. En commencant par une nouvelle analyse des données provenant de I'étude de 1994, cette communication rend compte également de trois études distinctes, I'une menée aux états‐Unis auprès de gestionnaires (N=103), une autre au Canada auprès de délégues de partis politiques (N=71) et la troisième en Inde auprès d'employés de bureau (N‐98), en vue d'examiner la validité concourante et la validité discriminante d'unefonction. Les résultats des analyses de dimensionalité suggèrent un modèle à cinq facteurs cadrant avec la notion Wébérienne du leadership charismatique. Les études menées aux états‐Unis, au Canada et en Inde confirment que I'échelle de Conger‐Kanungo en tant qu'instrument diagnostique a un degré de fiabi‐lité et de validité acceptable dans divers contextes.

AbstractUnfulfilled professional expectations concerning the nature of work, control, participation, development, status, working conditions, employee rights, and the managerial style of upper management are the source of a professional malaise that is influenced both by individual factors (socio‐demographic variables, job characteristics, personality) and by organizational variables (structure, climate, management practices, etc.). The objective of this research is to evaluate the relative importance of these variables on this professional malaise, and to measure the impact of human resource management practices.Based on the responses to a survey conducted among 2497 professionals in 13 unions or associations representing approximately 50 professions, the results explain a large portion of the malaise variance (48.6%). They confirm the importance of the personality variables (professionalism, locus of control, career anchors), and clearly highlight the power of human resource management practices to attenuate professional dissatisfaction. Consequently, a contingent model for the management of professional manpower was drawn. It focuses primarily on participation, enrichment, communication, and training.RésuméL'insatisfaction des attentes professionnelles relatives à la nature du travail, au contrǒle, à la participation, au développement, au statut, aux conditions de travail, au respect des droits et au style de gestion du superieur est à la source d'un malaise qui serait tout autant influencé par des facteurs individuels (socio‐démographiques, d'emploi, de personnalité) que par des facteurs organisationnels (structure, climat, pratiques de gestion, etc.). La présente recherche vise à mesurer I'importance relative de ces différents déterminants du malaise et notam‐ment à evaluer Vimpact des pratiques de gestion des ressources humaines sur ce malaise.Basés sur les réponses de 2497 professionnels répartis dans 13 syndicats ou associations représentant une cinquantaine de professions, les résultats permettent d'expliquer une partie substantielle de la variance du malaise (48,6 %). ILs confirment I'importance des facteurs de personnalité (professionnalisme, lieu de contrǒle, ancres de carrière) et font surtout ressortir I'important ejfet réducteur des pratiques de gestion des ressources humaines. Il en ressort un modèle ≪idéal≫ de gestion de la main‐d'ceuvreprofessionnelle qui s'articule principalement autour des pratiques de participation, d'enrichissement, de communication et deformation.

The organization of employment is often seen as a means to attain or retain competitive advantage in current product markets. High committment organizations and flexible specialization workplaces are some of the new labels of such modem human resource policies (Osterman 1994), the shaping of which should result in high performance. From an outsider's perspective, for instance that of an investor or a banker, such an assumption raises two important sets of questions: - The first concerns the main features of these supposed high-performance work systems and their true association with economic performance indicators. These questions relate to a better understanding of new human resource management (HRM) models in order to understand the effects of HRM on the performance of the firm. - The second set of questions concerns the ability of outside actors to analyze and truly understand these HRM models, about which they often have only poor and piecemeal information. In the event of a negative answer, investors and other outside actors might well be tempted to ignore or distort HRM issues. The latter set of questions is rarely considered by recent research. It is more often the case that investors and financial markets do not fully consider human resource management issues because of speculation and the short-term pressures which are seen to dictate their decisions. Such pressures surely exist, but the main problem might relate more to analytical and informational problems. In this respect, the paper suggests that the French Company Personnel Report could be a useful document. Its published data may enable investors to understand HRM issues more fully and to evaluate their impacts on the performance of the firm. Empirical results are thus presented which reveal some interesting and significant correlations between profitability or productivity ratios and HRM indicators. The two major conclusions are that (a) training expenses may have some important effects on immediate and future economic performance; and (b) some recovery effects of dismissals can also be identified.

The issue of coping with cultural transition, as in the case of immigration, has been the focus of extensive investigation in many domains. There is some diversity among scholars as to the relationship between change, stress, risk and well‐being. Children, in particular, are regarded at risk since they experience parental stress and are exposed to two sometimes conflicting socializing systems. Consequently, parental modes of coping with "acculturation stress" are considered major factors in predicting immigrant children's well‐being.This article challenges existing views of a linear relation between parental coping and child well‐being, suggesting that there is a great complexity and many variables that affect both parental coping strategies related to immigration and the definition of risk.We suggest that child development is affected by parental values and ideologies which form the "Adaptive Adult" image of the culture in which the children are raised. Immigrant parents confronted with a foreign Adaptive Adult image held by the socializing agents of the host culture may adopt one of the several different copying styles. The article describes three most common coping styles labelled by metaphores from the animal world: the traditional "uni‐cultural" style which promotes conservation is represented by the Kangaroo strategy; the "culturally‐disoriented" style which calls for rapid assimilation of children is represented by the Cuckoo metaphor; and the "bi‐cultural" style, based on a meditative approach, is illustrated by the Chameleon's ability to change its colour to blend in with the environment.Representatives of four professional sectors who are in daily contact with immigrant families, including educators, social workers, educational psychologists and paediatricians, were presented with three typical coping strategies and were asked to express their opinions regarding the adaptive and risk values of each coping style.By applying a qualitative research approach, results indicate that there are variations in the way the various stakeholders (parents and socializing agents) perceive basic concepts such as adaptation, risk and well‐being. Consequently, their evaluations of the different parental coping styles vary, suggesting that it is all "in the mind of the beholder".

The study was undertaken to decide whether lottery revenues impacted teachers' salaries in Louisiana. Economic recession brought on by the collapse of the oil and gas industry, disgruntled taxpayers, and the lure of easy money prompted Louisiana legislators to pass a bill adopting a state lottery. Initially, all funds were earmarked for education. Subsequently, lottery revenues were deposited into the general fund. Yet many thought the lottery would be a significant source of money for education and teachers' salaries. Logged annual salaries were used in models for university teachers and for elementary and secondary school teachers. Variables were incorporated to control for demographic and economic characteristics. Two theoretical models were used to show how the demographic and economic characteristics explained the variation in annual teachers' salaries. Variables in the final model for university teachers were degree, discipline, total university experience, total years of teaching experience, rank, university, university system, regions of the state, and lottery revenues. Variables in the elementary and secondary teachers' model included classification variables for degree held, years of experience, lottery revenues, and year. Data were collected for a five-year period before and after Louisiana began a lottery. Linear multiple regression models with a single quantitative dependent variable were used to test the empirical relationship between the independent variables and teachers' salaries. The study failed to reject hypothesis one. Louisiana lottery revenues did not affect teachers' salaries among elementary and secondary teachers. In contrast, empirical findings rejected the second hypothesis. No significant difference existed in university teachers' salaries before and after Louisiana adopted the lottery. The rejection of the null may be attributable to model misspecification. Education and experience were positively correlated with salaries in both models. An added dimension in university teachers' salaries was the rank of the teacher. As expected, full professors earned more than instructors, assistant professors, or associate professors. Administrators earned a premium over all other ranks. Another notable finding was support for previous research (Ransom, 1993; Oi, 1962) that university employment violates basic wage theory. While overall experience was positively correlated with salary, tenure at a particular university reduced salaries.

Version corrigée (lors de la publication de l'article, des erreurs se sont glissées dans le texte et un tableau) ; One of the essential elements of citizenship lies in participating in politics. Il is particulary through the right to vote that man will be fully integrated into society and take part in the decisions concerning the running of the government. Adopting universal suffrage is giving an important power to men. Thus, certain rulers have tried to channel the vote by excluding citizens liable to be detrimental to them. The law of May 31, 1850 meant to eliminate the « vile multitude », according to the expression used by Thiers. And it is in particular through the study of the concrete consequences of this law that the influence of the electoral system in the definition of citizenship can be measured. This law excluded 30 % of the electorate, 60 ù in Paris, but only 15,43 % (maximum) in Côte-d'Or. This last figure is the result of our research in the departmental Archives. Unfortunately, due to insufficient cross comparisons evident in the different charts used, the figure cannot be authenticated. This study also reveals th possible manipulation of statistics. In any case, the department of Côte-d'Or was less affected by by this law since the inhabitants were mostly rural. Whether the law of May 31, 1850 had been enforced throughout the country or not, it shows to what degree the implementation of univesal suffrage can run amuck. ; Un des éléments essentiels de la citoyenneté réside dans la participation à la vie politique. C'est notamment en jouissant de son droit de vote que l'homme entend s'intégrer pleinement à la société et prendre part aux décisions relatives à la direction de l'Etat. Adopter le suffrage universel, c'est donner un pouvoir important aux hommes. Aussi, certains régimes politiques ont-ils été tenté de canaliser le vote par l'exclusion des citoyens susceptibles de leur porter préjudice. La loi du 31 mai 1850 a voulu éliminer la ''vile multitude'', selon l'expression de Thiers. Et c'est ...