2020年经济学人 四十亩地和一头骡子(2)

Other approaches lead to much bigger sums. One calculates the difference between what slaves were given by way of maintenance, and what free workers were paid.

其他方法的赔偿金额更大。一种方法是计算奴隶维持生活的所需与自由工人工资之间的差价。

An estimate puts that at roughly $4trn in today's money (19% of GDP),

根据现在的钱计算，预计需要约4万亿美元（占GDP的19%），

once you account for the financial returns that could have been made if the money had been paid on time.

如果算上按时支付这笔钱可能带来的经济回报的话。

But some argue that slaves held down the wages of free workers, meaning that the true value of slaves' lost wages is higher.

但一些人认为，奴隶压低了自由工人的工资，这意味着奴隶失去的工资的真正价值更高。

Mr Darity and Ms Mullen say that the difference in mean net wealth between white and black households ($795,000 in 2016)

Darity先生和Mullen女士表示，白人和黑人家庭之间平均净资产的差距（2016年为795000美元）

is the "most robust¹ indicator² of the cumulative³ economic effects of white supremacy⁴". That points to reparations of nearly $8trn, or 37% of GDP.

是“白人至上主义累积经济效应最有力的指标”。这意味着将近8万亿美元的赔款，相当于GDP的37%。

(The authors suggest that this should be partly financed by printing money, something that will make most wonks queasy⁵.)

（作者建议，这部分资金应该通过印钞票来筹集，而这将使大多数学院派们感到不安。）

Another area of disagreement concerns the form that reparations should take.

分歧的另一个方面涉及应采取的赔偿形式。

Mr Darity and Ms Mullen argue that for "both symbolic⁶ and substantive⁷ reasons, an effective programme of restitution⁸ must include direct payments".

Darity先生和Mullen女士认为，“从象征和实质性原因来看，有效的赔偿方案必须包括直接赔款”。

But cash transfers may do less to reduce inequality than their supporters hope.

但汇款对减少不平等的作用可能没有其支持者所希望的那么大。

Research on inheritances, for instance, suggests that most heirs consume their windfall within a few years (purchases of cars are especially popular).

例如，遗产研究表明，大分部继承者会在几年内花光他们的这笔意外之财（买车尤为受欢迎）。

A sizeable part of the income gap between black and white Americans reflects differences in education levels; big one-off payments alone cannot alter that.

美国黑人和白人之间的收入差距很大一部分反映了教育水平的差异；单靠一次性的支付无法改变这一点。

And research by Mr Darity and Dania Francis of the University of Massachusetts Boston finds that

Darity和马萨诸塞大学波士顿分校的Dania Francis的研究发现

reparation payments could increase non-black incomes relative to black ones, if the spending thus facilitated flowed largely to non-black-owned firms.

如果由此促成的支出大部分流向了非黑人所有的公司，那么相对于黑人群体，赔款会增加非黑人群体的收入。

"Our paper points to the need to improve the infrastructure⁹ of black-owned businesses and banking¹⁰

“我们的论文指出有必要改善黑人公司和银行业的基础设施建设，

so that dollars from reparations can flow into black communities," says Ms Francis.

这样赔款才能流向黑人社区，”Francis女士说到。

To this end, some economists¹¹ argue that reparations should fund training and education programmes, or subsidise business lending.

为此，一些经济学家认为赔款应该用于培训和教育项目，或是补贴企业贷款。

Others point to "baby bonds", which would be targeted at poor children and help them pay for university or to start up a business.

一些人则指向“小额债券”，以贫困家庭的孩子为目标，帮助他们支付大学学费或创业。

Naomi Zewde of the City University of New York finds that baby bonds could substantially reduce racial wealth gaps among young people.

纽约市立大学的Naomi Zewde发现，小额债券可以从实质上减少年轻人之间的种族财富差距。

Reparation payments could be spent in other ways.

赔款可以用在其他方面。

Money paid out to Japanese exinternees has been used to fund academic chairs and historical archives.

支付给前日本战俘的钱被用来资助学术讲座和历史档案。

Reparations from Germany pay for food and medicine for Holocaust¹² survivors¹³.

从德国获得的赔款用于为大屠杀幸存者支付食物和药品。

But before America can widen support for reparations, it will have to debate what works.

但在美国可以扩大对赔款的支持之前，它将不得不讨论什么是有效的。

1 robust   

adj.强壮的，强健的，粗野的，需要体力的，浓的

参考例句：

• She is too tall and robust.她个子太高，身体太壮。
• China wants to keep growth robust to reduce poverty and avoid job losses,AP commented.美联社评论道，中国希望保持经济强势增长，以减少贫困和失业状况。

2 indicator   

n.指标；指示物，指示者；指示器

参考例句：

• Gold prices are often seen as an indicator of inflation.黃金价格常常被看作是通货膨胀的指标。
• His left-hand indicator is flashing.他左手边的转向灯正在闪亮。

3 cumulative   

adj.累积的，渐增的

参考例句：

• This drug has a cumulative effect.这种药有渐增的效力。
• The benefits from eating fish are cumulative.吃鱼的好处要长期才能显现。

4 supremacy   

n.至上；至高权力

参考例句：

• No one could challenge her supremacy in gymnastics.她是最优秀的体操运动员，无人能胜过她。
• Theoretically,she holds supremacy as the head of the state.从理论上说，她作为国家的最高元首拥有至高无上的权力。

5 queasy   

adj.易呕的

参考例句：

• I felt a little queasy on the ship.我在船上觉得有点晕眩想呕吐。
• He was very prone to seasickness and already felt queasy.他快晕船了，已经感到恶心了。

6 symbolic   

adj.象征性的，符号的，象征主义的

参考例句：

• It is symbolic of the fighting spirit of modern womanhood.它象征着现代妇女的战斗精神。
• The Christian ceremony of baptism is a symbolic act.基督教的洗礼仪式是一种象征性的做法。

7 substantive   

adj.表示实在的；本质的、实质性的；独立的；n.实词，实名词；独立存在的实体

参考例句：

• They plan to meet again in Rome very soon to begin substantive negotiations.他们计划不久在罗马再次会晤以开始实质性的谈判。
• A president needs substantive advice,but he also requires emotional succor. 一个总统需要实质性的建议，但也需要感情上的支持。

8 restitution   

n.赔偿；恢复原状

参考例句：

• It's only fair that those who do the damage should make restitution.损坏东西的人应负责赔偿，这是再公平不过的了。
• The victims are demanding full restitution.受害人要求全额赔偿。

9 infrastructure   

n.下部构造，下部组织，基础结构，基础设施

参考例句：

• We should step up the development of infrastructure for research.加强科学基础设施建设。
• We should strengthen cultural infrastructure and boost various types of popular culture.加强文化基础设施建设，发展各类群众文化。

10 banking   

n.银行业，银行学，金融业

参考例句：

• John is launching his son on a career in banking.约翰打算让儿子在银行界谋一个新职位。
• He possesses an extensive knowledge of banking.他具有广博的银行业务知识。

11 economists   

n.经济学家，经济专家( economist的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• The sudden rise in share prices has confounded economists. 股价的突然上涨使经济学家大惑不解。
• Foreign bankers and economists cautiously welcomed the minister's initiative. 外国银行家和经济学家对部长的倡议反应谨慎。 来自《简明英汉词典》

12 holocaust   

n.大破坏；大屠杀

参考例句：

• The Auschwitz concentration camp always remind the world of the holocaust.奥辛威茨集中营总是让世人想起大屠杀。
• Ahmadinejad is denying the holocaust because he's as brutal as Hitler was.内贾德否认大屠杀，因为他像希特勒一样残忍。

13 survivors   

幸存者，残存者，生还者( survivor的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• The survivors were adrift in a lifeboat for six days. 幸存者在救生艇上漂流了六天。
• survivors clinging to a raft 紧紧抓住救生筏的幸存者