苏格兰公投文明的统独之争

2014-09-24 17:57:34来源：可可英语

　　The UK’s response to Scottish splittism is very different, as I have come to appreciate sincereturning to the land of my youth to be the FT’s Scotland correspondent after nearly twodecades in east Asia. Here, the process is firmly democratic and almost entirely peaceful. Allsides of the debate accept that Scotland’s future should be decided by the will of its people.Where other states confronted by separatism send in the tanks, the UK – to its great credit –hits back with promises of more devolved powers and colourful leaflets talking up the benefitsof union.

　　在东亚待了近20年之后，我返回故土、担任英国《金融时报》驻苏格兰记者，我发现，英国对苏格兰分裂主义的应对方式大不相同。在这里，程序是绝对民主、且近乎完全和平的。参与辩论的各派都认同一点：苏格兰的未来应该由苏格兰人民的意志决定。其他面临分裂主义问题的国家出动的是坦克，而值得赞赏的是，英国反击分裂主义的方式是承诺加大权力下放，制作各种五颜六色的小册子、宣传联盟的好处。

　　That is not to say that Scotland’s debate has been wholly admirable – the quality has beenpatchy, a flowering of respectful and rational discussion often drowned out by the ranting andspinning of professional politicians and partisan media. Though anti-English attitudes havebeen mercifully absent from the mainstream debate, a nasty nationalist fringe has besmirchedsome exchanges on social media and street corners.

　　这并不是说苏格兰的辩论完全没有缺点——辩论质量一般，严肃、理性的讨论往往被职业政客和偏袒某一党派的媒体的夸夸其谈所淹没。尽管幸运的是，反英格兰情绪没有出现在主流辩论中，但一种龌龊的民族主义极端思想污染了社交媒体和坊间的某些谈话。

　　But it is worth stepping back for a moment. The possible secession of a third of the landmassand 8 per cent of the population of a major power is being addressed throughoverwhelmingly peaceful, free and often even friendly debate. To appreciate howprecious that is, you need only look as far as Ukraine, where March’s disputed referendumopened the way for Russian annexation of Crimea and bloody battles have raged betweengovernment troops and separatists in border regions. Participants in Scotland’s debate mightrisk insults and – in the case of one pro-union MP – an egging but nobody is shooting them orshelling their villages.

　　但应该退后一步来看。三分之一国土、8%人口可能从一个大国分裂出去，这个问题正在通过令人吃惊的和平、自由、很多时候甚至友好的辩论得到讨论。要理解这有多么难得，你只用看看乌克兰——3月举行的有争议的公投，导致俄罗斯吞并克里米亚、政府武装和分裂主义者在边境地区爆发血腥战斗。参与苏格兰独立辩论者或许面临受到辱骂的风险，就一位支持维持联盟的议员而言，还面临被砸鸡蛋的风险，但没有人会对他们开枪，或炮轰他们的村庄。

　　One result of this more civilised atmosphere is to lower the stakes of the dispute. Scottishnationalists cannot credibly claim their nation is being oppressed. The version ofindependence on offer by the Scottish National party is thus a strikingly moderate one,espousing civic values rather than ethnic identity and stressing continuing close links with theremaining UK. An independent Scotland would seek to remain firmly within the EuropeanUnion, with its commitment to the free movement of people and trade.

　　这种更加文明的氛围的结果之一，是降低了争论所涉及的利害。苏格兰民族主义者无法令人信服地宣称，他们的民族受到压迫。因此，苏格兰民族党(SNP)提出的独立主张非常温和，信奉公民价值观，而不是民族认同，强调继续与英国其余部分保持紧密联系。独立后的苏格兰将谋求坚决留在欧盟(EU)内，承诺允许人员自由流动和自由贸易。

本文关键字: 苏格兰公投文明的统独之争