There is no doubt genuine fury in China at these offences; yet the impression the response gives of a people united behind the government is an illusion. China, like India, is a land of a million mutinies now. Legions of farmers are angry that their land has been swallowed up for building by greedy local officials. People everywhere are aghast at the poisoning of China’s air, rivers and lakes in the race for growth. Hardworking, honest citizens chafe at corrupt officials who treat them with contempt and get rich quick. And the party still makes an ass of the law and a mockery of justice.
这一段的关键词:danger for the government:对政府的危险(又在威胁中国政府了)
Popular anger, once roused, can easily switch targets:群众的愤怒,一旦被激起,可以很容易地转换目标
turn against a government accused of not doing enough to safeguard it:转向反对被认为没有很好维护民族尊严的政府(对政府晓以厉害)
评论:这段是想提醒爱国主义情绪起来以后对政府的危害。这就与前一段很矛盾了。既然中国政府那么不堪,作者怎么还要为这个政府着想啊?民意是一切民主制度的基石,西方不是一直支持民意的吗,为什么到了中国爱国主义这里,西方反而要求他们一直攻击的中国政府施以控制呢? ...
Herein lies the danger for the government. Popular anger, once roused,can easily switch targets. This weekend China will be commemorating an event seen as pivotal in its long revolution—the protests on May 4th 1919 against the humiliation of China by the Versailles treaty (which bequeathed German “concessions” in China to Japan). The Communist Party had roots in that movement. Now, as then, protests at perceived
slights against China’s dignity could turn against a government accused of not doing enough to safeguard it.
这一段的关键词
Anger:气愤、愤怒
still far short of what would constitute democracy:距离民主制度尚远
pander to China’s pride:迎合中国的自豪感
Western leaders have a duty to raise concerns about human rights, Tibet and other “sensitive” subjects:西方的领导人有义务提出对人权,西藏和其它“敏感”问题的关注
up to a point, pressure works:从某种程度上说,压力奏效了
This has happened because of, not despite, criticism from abroad:这就是因为国际批评而产生的结果.
评论:这一段是针对西方政客企业精英说的。就是要求他们要继续向中国政府施压,不要讨好中国,不要认为这种压力没有效果,其实他们的压力还是奏效的。最有意思的是,作者认为西方领导人有“义务”来关注中国的人权和少数民族问题。不知西方领导人的这个“义务”是谁赋予的?是依据哪条国际法准则被赋予的?如果西方领导人有这样的义务,那中国领导人是否也有“义务”关注西方国家的人权和少数民族问题? ...
Remember the ides of May
Western businessmen and policymakers are pulled in opposite directions by Chinese anger. As the sponsors of the Olympics have learned to
their cost, while consumer- and shareholder-activists in the West demand they take a stand against perceived Chinese abuses, in China itself firms’ partners and customers are all too ready to take offence. Western policymakers also face a difficult balancing act. They need to recognise that China has come a long way very quickly, and offers its citizens new opportunities and even new freedoms,though these are still far short of what would constitute democracy. Yet that does not mean they should pander to China’s pride. Western
leaders have a duty to raise concerns about human rights, Tibet and other “sensitive” subjects. They do not need to resign themselves to
ineffectiveness: up to a point, pressure works: China has been modestly helpful over Myanmar, North Korea and Sudan. It has even agreed to reopen talks with the Dalai Lama’s representatives. This has happened because of, not despite, criticism from abroad.
这一段的关键词:hardliners:强硬派 ruling elite:统治精英 moderates:温和派
seems irreversible:看上去不可逆转
including reform of the architecture of the global institutions that reflect a 60-year-old
world order:包括改革反应了60年的世界秩序的全球结构
the world and China have to learn to live with each other:世界和中国必须学会共同生存
评论:这一段又比较阴险地将中国政府分为强硬派和温和派,并声称,即使西方施以更大压力,中国也不可能回到过去。并声称世界和中国应该学会共同生活在一起。这是一个很可笑的观点。中国作为一个有5000年历史的文明古国,一直和周围世界共同相处,从来不是个问题。怎么现在出了一个“世界”要学会和中国相处的问题了?其实,根本不是“世界”不会和中国相处,而是“西方”还没有学会如何和中国相处。 ...