The world is experiencing dramatic fiscal reconstruction in the socialist and (former) socialist countries and of continuing and fascinating evolution of government structure elsewhere. Being one of the fastest growing economies over the past nearly three decades, China seems deeply embracing this global mantra of power devolution in her effort to energize local economy that was suffocated in the highly constricted state-planning system. The literature of the Chinese central-local studies suggests that fiscal decentralization from the central government to provincial governments is a key institutional factor to explain Chinese economic success. However, the literature misses various lower levels of government in China. Has the fiscal power been eventually trickled down to them? This is the question addressed in this project. This project makes several contributions to the thriving Chinese central-local study. It brings back the missing local governments in the intergovernmental debate. By linking various local governments with the national government, the findings in this project help to draw a more comprehensive and holistic picture of the intergovernmental fiscal relations in China. Such a study on the evolution of fiscal structure among local governments also adds knowledge to understand the broad economic and administrative transformation in contemporary China. Using the latest datasets of public finance, this project performs a series of statistical analysis to understand if fiscal decentralization has taken place to each level of Chineselocal governments in the reform era. This project also tests the factors that have been widely identified in the classical welfare theory as explanative factors for the fiscal arrangement at different levels of local government. This project finds out that fiscal decentralization fails to capture the main trend of the intergovernmental fiscal relations at various Chinese local governments. Instead, there has been a rather consistent pattern of fiscal centralization across those local governments during the 1990s and the early 2000s.
Zero knowledge set is a set that has zero knowledge quality.The structure of the set makes that a prover can commit to any arbitrary finite set of strings and for any string,reveal with a proof whether a given element is in the set without revealing any knowledge beyond the verity of these membership assertions.In this paper,we propose a new Group Key Distribution protocol based on zero knowledge set and Peterson commitment so that the identity and number of the group members can be concealed and realize key distribution at the same time.The protocol not only provides a dynamic distribution on a group key,but also guarantees nobody can get additional information about other members except the group key.Compared with previous work,our protocol can provide more security,and is suitable for some special network application,such as secret network meeting.
The economical condition was well and health expenditure increased rapidly in China.However,health performance was not optimistic.The author considered that excess marketization and decentralization in health reform were main reasons.So the paper suggested that dominant role of the government in health payment should be established,especially the payment duty of center finance should be strengthened.The mechanism of duty decentralization and financing among the government with different administrative levels should be constituted.
Security for composition of protocols is hotspot of international scope. By using composition method, it is proved that the distributed key distribution scheme introduced by Daza et al is secure. The scheme appends verifiable secret sharing and zero-knowledge proofs to the basic one which fits in the case of passive adversary to prevent from the action of an active adversary.
Practical knowledge on the design and application of multi-objective evolutionary algorithms (MOEAs) is available but well-founded theoretical analyses of the runtime are rare. Laumanns, Thiele, Zitzler, Welzel and Deb (2002) have started such an analysis for two simple mutation-based algorithms including SEMO. These algorithms search locally in the neighborhood of their current population by selecting an individual and flipping one randomly chosen bit. Due to its local search operator, SEMO cannot escape from local optima, and, therefore, has no finite expected runtime in general. In this talk, we investigate the runtime of a variant of SEMO whose mutation operator flips each bit independently. It is proven that its expected runtime is O(n^n) for all objective functions f: {0,1}^n -> R^m, and that there are bicriteria problems among the hardest problem for this algorithm. Moreover, for each d between 2 and n, a bicriteria problem with expected runtime Theta(n^d) is presented. This shows that bicriteria problems cover the full range of potential runtimes of this variant of SEMO. For the problem LOTZ (Leading-Ones-Trailing Zeroes), the runtime does not increase substantially if we use the global search operator. Finally, we consider the problem MOCO (Multi-Objective-Counting-Ones). We show that the conjectured bound O((n^2)log n) on the expected runtime is wrong for both variants of SEMO. In fact, MOCO is almost a worst case example for SEMO if we consider the expected runtime; however, the runtime is O((n^2)log n) with high probability. Some ideas from the proof will be presented.
Based on the classical authentication protocol of Fiat-Shamir,a new kind of zero knowledge proof mended algorithm is established based on module operation.Two functions can be done in this system.One is the users can make bidirectional authentication,second they can use the same pair of publicprivate keys to encrypt the data transferred between them.So two works of authentication and encryption can be done in one system.
This paperprovesthat several interactiveproofsystems are zero-knowledgeagainstquantumattacks. This includes a few well-known classical zero-knowledge proof systems as well as quantum interactive proof systems for the complexity class QSZK HV , which comprises all problems having âhonest verifierâ quantum statistical zero-knowledge proofs. It is also proved that zero-knowledge proofs for every languagein NP exist that are secure against quantumattacks, assuming the existence of quantumcomputationally concealing commitment schemes. Previously no non-trivial problems were known to be zeroknowledge against quantum attacks, except in restricted settings such as the honest-verifierand common reference string models. This paper therefore establishes for the first time that true zero-knowledge is indeed possible in the presence of quantum information.
The need for cryptography has been recognized since ancient times. One of its main goals, private communication in the presence of adversary, is traced back to the ancient Roman empire, whose emperor Julius Ceasar used to communicate to his allies by replacing each letter in his message with the third next letter in the alphabet. Classical cryptography went on until the end of last century focusing on the art of designing and breaking secrecy codes. Modern cryptography has significantly enlarged its scope to the rigorous analysis of any system that is potentially subject to malicious threats and the design of solution that can guarantee the system to withstand such threats. As a consequence, many goals have been added to that of private communication in the presence of adversary, and cryptography has moved from an engineering art built on a number of heuristic techniques to a scientific discipline based on mathematically rigorous design requirements, solution techniques and correctness proofs. We present here an introduction to some basic topics in the foundation of modern cryptography; specifically: one-way functions, pseudo-random generators, pseudo-random functions and zero-knowledge protocols.
It is shown in this paper that a kind of new cryptographic primitive proposed by Zheng in 1997, Signcryption, may be applied to construct distributed cryptographic protocols. In fact, the protocols based on Signcryption have the following two properties: Each message exchanged between two participants can be transferred in short data packet, and messages that carry key materials are unforgeable and non-repudiatable without the involvement of a trusted key distribution center. Firstly, based on the modified signcryption scheme of Zheng and Verifiable Secret Sharing(VSS) idea, this paper gives a kind of threshold signcryption scheme without any trusted center for the first time. Furthermore, this scheme can gain its ends of both threshold signature and threshold encryption simultaneously and the costs is much cheaper. In addition, non-repudiation is also offered. Secondly, by analyzing recent distributed key generation protocols, especially Naorâs idea, it put forward a new protocol mainly based on signcryption, called SC-DKDS. Compared with others, SC-DKDS does not need any additional costs, such as authentication channels, private channels or any complicated zero knowledge proofs. The security proofs of the protocols mentioned above are given in RO(Random Oracle) model.
This paper argues that the fiscal risks in China are caused and accumulated by institutional deficiency, imperfection and unequilibrium, and hence institutional explanatory factors should be considered as endogenous variables to quantify fiscal risks. Four variables, the rate of nationalization (GYHL), the rate of marketization (SCH), the rate of public finance decentralization (CZFQ) and the rate of transaction (JYFY) are employed to explain fiscal risks (CZFX). Through stepwise regression, we find that GYHL and CZFQ impose significant effects on CZFX, and there is a negative relationship between GYHL and CZFX. Based on empirical research, the conclusions can be stated as follows: not only should we carry out SOEs reform well on micro-level, but also we should control the range and limits of public finance decentralization in order to avoid and diversify fiscal risks to some extent.
I n 1988, a group of reformersâblacks and whites, Democrats and Republicans, business and laborâforged a well-financed and apparently powerful political coalition to take control of the Detroit Board of Education. Running as the HOPE coalition (the anagram made up of the first letter of the last name of the three candidates: Hayden, Olmstead, and Patrick for Education), these reformers promised to change the Detroit schools in ways that were quite similar to those the ânew Progressivesâ had implemented in other cities. Upon their election to the board, the HOPE candidates worked diligently to place the school system on a firm financial footing, to run it in a more efficient manner, to establish closer ties with the cityâs business community, to decentralize the district by empowering principals and local schools, and to create schools of choice that would enable parents to have alternatives to neighborhood schools. Despite some notable successes in these areas, in 1992, the HOPE initiatives abruptly ended as voters turned most of the reformers out of office following a series of bitter confrontations and crises. These keywords were added by machine and not by the authors. This process is experimental and the keywords may be updated as the learning algorithm improves.
This paper proposed a protocol for zero-knowledge proof of identity based on ElGamal on conic. It is more appropriate than the traditional identity protocol in distributed environment without trusted third parties. The security of this protocol relies on the discrete logarithm problem on conic over finite fields. Compared with those identification protocols implemented on elliptic curve, this protocol can be designed and implemented easier. And compared with that security lies on disassemble a large number, it runs faster. Corresponding to the simple version, a parallel version is presented subsequently. The characteristic of ZKp and security of the simple version is proved. The "soundness", "completeness", and amount of computation are also analyzed. A simple solution considering t/sub timeout/ is proposed to prevent a potential leak of our protocol.
After the collapse of the Soviet Union, and especially after passage of the 1990 law on freedom of conscience, Russian people showed increased interest in religion, moral values, and national cultural traditions. Such a phenomenon is quite understandable because the ideology of socialism had failed. Every other state also has come to bear various aspects of a multicultural society nowadays. Elements, which constitute society, such as ethnicity, culture, and religion, have become far more diversified than expected. As a result, every state is compelled to restructure its educational system, so that it may better accommodate to this growing diversity. While the specific contents of value education differ from country to country, it can generally be stated that those in advanced countries involve citizenship education, multicultural education, or education aimed at developing autonomous value judgment. On the other hand, those in developing countries involve moral education, religious education, or education aimed at developing national identity.From the early 1990s on, we have observed the decentralization of the system of education in Russia. School curricula are being revised, new elective and local initiatives in education are being encouraged, and private schools are appearing. Thus the system of education has become more flexible and there is a favorable situation to introduce religious education as an elective. In the early 1990s, the Russian Ministry of Education made the decision to introduce religious studies in Russian schools by means of curricula stressing Christian ethics and morality. High officials from the Russian Ministry of Education also approached Western Christian educators for help. The response was a collaborative effort of over 80 Western mission groups called the CoMission, which instructed Russian public school educators in the teaching of Christian ethics and morality. The CoMission was to teach those Christian beliefs that were common to all Christian denominations, but its curriculum represented a Protestant approach to Christian ethics and Scripture. In 1995 the Ministry of Education suspended the Protocol of Intention with the CoMission.By virtue of its title Alla Borodina's textbook âBasics of Orthodox Cultureâ became the symbol of the proponents of introduction of BOC. The textbook has the stamp âRecommended by the Coordinating Council on Cooperation of the Ministry of Education of Russia and the Moscow patriarchate of the Russian Orthodox Church.â The discussion about the teaching of the âBasics of Orthodox Cultureâ in public schools began as a reaction to a circular letter by Russian Minister of Education Vladimir Filippov to regional offices of administration of education in October 2002. To the letter was appended sample contents of education in the academic subject of âOrthodox Culture.â Two camps arose; on one hand were those who approve the introduction of basics of Orthodox culture into the curriculum of secondary education; on the other hand are those who categorically oppose it. Two members of a human right organization made an attempt to initiate criminal investigation against Borodina. They accused her of anti-Semitism. More than ten court sessions took place in Moscow concerning this matter. Nevertheless the âOrthodox Cultureâ has already become a regular school subject in several cities and provinces of Russia: Voronezh, Kursk, Smolensk and others.It will be a great loss for Russia's children if either the path of indoctrination or an irreligious school education is pursued. In the former case, while trying to preserve national identity and the consolidation of Russian society, they potentially lose democratic principles and freedoms. In the latter case, while trying to preserve freedoms, they lose all connection with their national spiritual tradition and,
In 1982, Chaum [21] pioneered the anonymous e-cash which finds many applications in e-commerce. In 1993, Brands [8--10] and Ferguson [30, 31] published on single-term offline anonymous ecash which were the first practical e-cash. Their constructions used blind signatures and were inefficient to implement multi-spendable e-cash. In 1995, Camenisch, Hohenberger, and Lysyanskaya [12] gave the first compact 2 -spendable e-cash, using zero-knowledge-proof techniques. They left an open problem of the simultaneous attainment of O(1)-unit wallet size and efficient coin tracing. The latter property is needed to revoke bad coins from over-spenders. In this paper, we solve [12]'s open problem, and thus enable the first practical compact e-cash. We use a new technique whose security reduces to a new intractability assumption: the Decisional Harmonically-Tipped Diffie-Hellman (DHTDH) Assumption.
This paper is devoted to discuss some European evidence of decentralized public finance, as they may prove useful to give some suggestions for implementing the Italian current proposals of more fiscal decentralization. Except than in Nordic countries, new settlements of fiscal decentralization are planned or underway almost everywhere in main European countries, and not just in Italy. A common trend may be envisaged toward an increase of sub-national functions, while the way to more fiscal autonomy seems more uncertain. A prevailing mixed model (decentralization with scattered elements of political federalism) seems to emerge. However expenditure overlaps are so widespread to cancel out the popular idea that functions (exclusive or concurrent) may be allocated among government layers in a clear-cut way. In the average of EU15 countries, the financing of sub-national governments comes still largely from national block transfers highly perequating. A trade-off seems to exist, not easy to be removed, between the degree of decentralization and the room of manoeuvre of decentralized taxes. Following the European experiences, more autonomous financing might be obtained mainly by enlarging sub-national governmentsâ rate-freedom with respect to increased amount of national taxes (personal income tax and VAT) to be shared. Perequating systems widely differ among countries. Some recent reforms may however give some useful guidelines for a dualistic country as Italy. Transfers should be of vertical type, linked also to the regional needs and at least for a part targeted to specific aims. Fiscal decentralization may induce a decrease in overall budget responsibility. To control for this, international experience suggests that fiscal rules might be usefully integrated by formal cooperation between central and sub-national governments. Codici Jel H70, H72, H74, H77 Parole chiave:Federalismo fiscale; Italia; Europa Indirizzi E-mail : eunice@unipv.it, gandull@csb-scpo.unige.it
The idea of the theory of Community Co-management was originally based on research of the fishing and pearl culturing villages of Shima district in Mie Prefecture during the 1960s. At that time, the landed quantity of cultured pearls in the district increased rapidly because of growth in number of culture establishments and an increase in density of their culturing oyster shells. However, the increase of pearl production in a limited marine area resulted in the rapid deterioration of both quality and price of cultured pearls. At around the same time, sightseeing facilities attracted attention in the district, and environmental burdens imposed by them have become heavy. Then, to realize compatible and sustainable relations with each other for the efficient use of local resources, the establishment of a new community organization composed of fishermen, pearl culture establishments, sightseeing facilities, and inhabitants as comsumers of marine products became indispensable. The management of local resources, by all interested parties, became the core function of the community. For this reason, a community can be seen as an organization for the co-management of living conditions. Modern society has increased its collective consumption, and has grown in community co-management of its living conditions. This means that a community can be seen from the view point of managerial functions. There can be an understanding of the common features and structures of rural and urban communities as well as of neighborhood communities and municipal authorities despite ecological and legislative differences. At present, the development of the decentralization of administrative systems in our country permits the official establishment of a kind of teritorrial autonomous body within a local autonomy. The concept of community co-management has become increasingly realistic.
Abstract. There is a broad literature on distributed card games over communications networks, collectively known as mental poker. Likein any distributed protocol, avoiding the need for a Trusted Third Party (TTP) in mental poker is highly desirable, because really trusted TTPs are not always available and seldom free. This paper deals with the player dropout problem in mental poker without a TTP. A solution based on zero-knowledge proofs is proposed. While staying TTP-free, our proposal allows the game to continue after player dropout.