经济学人101:印度的贫困之邦,改革都是浮云

 　　Business Bihar's pro-business reforms Paper tiger

　　商业 比哈尔的利商改革 雷声大，雨点小

　　There is more talk about reform than action in India's poorest state

　　印度的贫困之邦，改革都是浮云

　　IT IS surely no coincidence that Bihar, besides being India's poorest state, has also been its least inviting¹ for entrepreneurs.

　　比哈尔既挂着印度贫困邦的名头，那它的招商引资做得最差，自然是情理之中的事。

　　That is supposed to be changing. Nitish Kumar, Bihar's chief minister, has spent his five years in office fixing the roads and other infrastructure².

　　这种现象本应得到改善，比哈尔邦首席部长Nitish Kumar于其任上的5年中，都在大兴土木，改善基础设施。

　　Crime has fallen, so the bright and wealthy are no longer frightened off by the threat of kidnapping, extortion and murder.

　　犯罪率降低了，显贵们不会再被绑架、勒索和谋杀的威胁吓跑。

　　Stability has allowed local trade to flourish.

　　稳定带来地区经济繁荣。

　　A state official reels off an impressive-sounding list of 398 approved investment proposals—from sugar mills to power plants—worth $4.8 billion.

　　当地官员甩出398份华丽丽的投资意向书，总值48亿美元，内容从糖厂覆盖到能源。

　　That all sounds rosy³, until you look for success on the ground.

　　看上去很美，实际都是浮云。

　　India's tycoons⁴ have visited, and left. There is not one example of a big industrial investment to show for it.

　　连一个大型工业投资的案例都拿不出来，无怪乎印度的商业大亨们在此地来去匆匆不留银了。

　　Perhaps local officials are failing to spot the brightest entrepreneurs—those deft⁵ enough to avoid the bureaucrats⁶.

　　也许当局没有淘金的眼光，他们需要的是对避免官僚主义驾轻就熟的企业。

　　Take the case of Husk Power Systems, formed in 2007 by three young Biharis and an American friend.

　　拿"米糠发电系统"为例，2007年，3个年轻的哈比尔人和一位美国朋友将该计划成形。

　　It runs 50 micro power plants in rural areas fired by burning otherwise useless rice husks.

　　仅仅靠燃烧无用的米糠，他们在农村地区经营起50家小型发电厂。

　　Now employing more than 250 people, the firm sells cheap electricity to 200,000 rural folk, who previously⁷ relied on kerosene⁸ lamps or candles.

　　现在，这家拥有250多名员工的公司，为20多万农村人口提供低价电，此前人们离不开的煤油灯和蜡烛，都退出了历史舞台。

　　Each power plant turns a profit in a few months, and Husk plans to build hundreds more in the next two years.

　　几个月后，每个发电厂都开始盈利，稻壳公司计划在未来两年增建100多个发电厂。

　　But that is no thanks to Bihar's pen-pushers.

　　然而，比哈尔的官员们对这些成绩毫无帮助。

　　Scientific advisers⁹ in Delhi were "very helpful" with permits and business contacts. But the entrepreneurs try to avoid contact with the Bihar government as much as possible.

　　德里的科学顾问们在办许可证和业务往来上称得上是"砖家"，但要和比哈尔政府打交道，企业家们都是唯恐避之不及。

　　An early brush-off from one of Mr Kumar's deputies set the standard for their treatment.

　　一个前车之鉴就是，他们曾被Kumar先生的众多副手之一不友好地拒绝过。

　　Ratnesh Yadav, one of Husk's founders¹⁰, describes constant struggles with local corruption¹¹.

　　与地方腐败的斗争已是家常便饭，稻壳公司的创始人之一Ratnesh Yadav，有着如下讲述。

　　A village policeman grabbed a bundle of cables for one of the first plants, demanding a bribe¹²: the company refused, opting¹³ to bore him into submission¹⁴ instead.

　　一名"村警"从最早期的发电厂强占了一大捆电缆，以此向公司索贿，公司不但没有接受，反而迫使他屈服。

　　When Husk started building a centre to train its workers near the state capital, Patna, a neighbourhood tough-guy demanded 100,000 rupees ($2,250) in protection money.

　　当公司在邦首府巴特那附近建设员工训练中心时，附近的无赖寻上门来，索要10万卢比（2250美元）的保护费。

　　This was refused, so the builders were threatened, then beaten, and a mob flattened¹⁵ the construction site.

　　这一要求遭到拒绝，于是施工人员先是被威胁，接着被殴打，一群暴民还扫荡了施工场地。

　　A Bihari property developer, while accepting that official corruption is a fact of life, laments¹⁶ how crooked¹⁷ officials in his state prefer "taxing" inputs—the first investments made—to demanding a share in the output of an enterprise, a practice he says is more common in Bengal.

　　比哈尔的一个房地产开发商，一边接受官员腐败的现实，一边感慨着当地政府如此狡诈，官员们倾向于投入"课税"（这个投入是投资者的首笔投资），从而要求在其企业的产出中盘剥。

　　Bengal-style graft¹⁸ at least means officials have a long-term interest in seeing the business thrive.

　　开发商说，在孟加拉，这种现象更为普遍。

　　The state government talks some fine talk about having made things easier for businesses, such as creating a "one-stop window" for them to submit all their paperwork.

　　"孟式"贪污至少表明政府长期乐见于商业的繁荣。邦政府曾有精彩言论，说要降低商业事务办理难度，例如开设"一站式窗口"，以便商人们投放文件资料。

　　But half a dozen businessmen, asked about the window, hoot¹⁹ with laughter.

　　然而，有6位商人在窗口咨询时，遭遇了呵斥和嘲笑。

　　It is nothing more than a postbox, says one; the papers are simply shuffled²⁰ on to the same old unresponsive departments.

　　一名商人说，这窗口充其量也就是个邮筒，那些文件被简单的混在得过且过的部门里。

　　An investor²¹ with political clout²² can get things done in perhaps four visits. Otherwise, it's a long wait.

　　政商也许4次登门拜访就能把事情搞定，其他投资者，就只有"等到花儿也谢了"。

1 inviting   

adj.诱人的，引人注目的

参考例句：

• An inviting smell of coffee wafted into the room.一股诱人的咖啡香味飘进了房间。
• The kitchen smelled warm and inviting and blessedly familiar.这间厨房的味道温暖诱人，使人感到亲切温馨。

2 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。

3 rosy   

adj.美好的，乐观的，玫瑰色的

参考例句：

• She got a new job and her life looks rosy.她找到一份新工作，生活看上去很美好。
• She always takes a rosy view of life.她总是对生活持乐观态度。

4 tycoons   

大君( tycoon的名词复数 )； 将军； 企业巨头； 大亨

参考例句：

• The great tycoons were fierce competitors, single-minded in their pursuit of financial success and power. 企业巨头都是激烈的竞争者，他们一心追求钱财和权势。
• Tycoons and their conglomerates are even raising money again on international markets. 企业大亨们以及他们的企业甚至正再次从国际市场上筹集资金。

5 deft   

adj.灵巧的，熟练的（a deft hand 能手）

参考例句：

• The pianist has deft fingers.钢琴家有灵巧的双手。
• This bird,sharp of eye and deft of beak,can accurately peck the flying insects in the air.这只鸟眼疾嘴快，能准确地把空中的飞虫啄住。

6 bureaucrats   

n.官僚( bureaucrat的名词复数 )；官僚主义；官僚主义者；官僚语言

参考例句：

• That is the fate of the bureaucrats, not the inspiration of statesmen. 那是官僚主义者的命运，而不是政治家的灵感。 来自辞典例句
• Big business and dozens of anonymous bureaucrats have as much power as Japan's top elected leaders. 大企业和许多不知名的官僚同日本选举出来的最高层领导者们的权力一样大。 来自辞典例句

7 previously   

adv.以前，先前（地）

参考例句：

• The bicycle tyre blew out at a previously damaged point.自行车胎在以前损坏过的地方又爆开了。
• Let me digress for a moment and explain what had happened previously.让我岔开一会儿，解释原先发生了什么。

8 kerosene   

n.(kerosine)煤油，火油

参考例句：

• It is like putting out a fire with kerosene.这就像用煤油灭火。
• Instead of electricity,there were kerosene lanterns.没有电，有煤油灯。

9 advisers   

顾问，劝告者( adviser的名词复数 )； （指导大学新生学科问题等的）指导教授

参考例句：

• a member of the President's favoured circle of advisers 总统宠爱的顾问班子中的一员
• She withdrew to confer with her advisers before announcing a decision. 她先去请教顾问然后再宣布决定。

10 founders   

n.创始人( founder的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• He was one of the founders of the university's medical faculty. 他是该大学医学院的创建人之一。 来自辞典例句
• The founders of our religion made this a cornerstone of morality. 我们宗教的创始人把这看作是道德的基石。 来自辞典例句

11 corruption   

n.腐败，堕落，贪污

参考例句：

• The people asked the government to hit out against corruption and theft.人民要求政府严惩贪污盗窃。
• The old man reviled against corruption.那老人痛斥了贪污舞弊。

12 bribe   

n.贿赂；v.向…行贿，买通

参考例句：

• He tried to bribe the policeman not to arrest him.他企图贿赂警察不逮捕他。
• He resolutely refused their bribe.他坚决不接受他们的贿赂。

13 opting   

v.选择，挑选( opt的现在分词 )

参考例句：

• What courses are most students opting for? 多数学生选什么课程？ 来自《简明英汉词典》
• Wells doesn't rule out opting out and then re-signing with Houston. 威尔斯没有排除跳出合同再与火箭重签的可能。 来自互联网

14 submission   

n.服从，投降；温顺，谦虚；提出

参考例句：

• The defeated general showed his submission by giving up his sword.战败将军缴剑表示投降。
• No enemy can frighten us into submission.任何敌人的恐吓都不能使我们屈服。

15 flattened   

[医]（水）平扁的，弄平的

参考例句：

• She flattened her nose and lips against the window. 她把鼻子和嘴唇紧贴着窗户。
• I flattened myself against the wall to let them pass. 我身体紧靠着墙让他们通过。

16 laments   

n.悲恸，哀歌，挽歌( lament的名词复数 )v.（为…）哀悼，痛哭，悲伤( lament的第三人称单数 )

参考例句：

• In the poem he laments the destruction of the countryside. 在那首诗里他对乡村遭到的破坏流露出悲哀。
• In this book he laments the slight interest shown in his writings. 在该书中他慨叹人们对他的著作兴趣微弱。 来自辞典例句

17 crooked   

adj.弯曲的；不诚实的，狡猾的，不正当的

参考例句：

• He crooked a finger to tell us to go over to him.他弯了弯手指，示意我们到他那儿去。
• You have to drive slowly on these crooked country roads.在这些弯弯曲曲的乡间小路上你得慢慢开车。

18 graft   

n.移植，嫁接，艰苦工作，贪污；v.移植，嫁接

参考例句：

• I am having a skin graft on my arm soon.我马上就要接受手臂的皮肤移植手术。
• The minister became rich through graft.这位部长透过贪污受贿致富。

19 hoot   

n.鸟叫声，汽车的喇叭声； v.使汽车鸣喇叭

参考例句：

• The sudden hoot of a whistle broke into my thoughts.突然响起的汽笛声打断了我的思路。
• In a string of shrill hoot of the horn sound,he quickly ran to her.在一串尖声鸣叫的喇叭声中，他快速地跑向她。

20 shuffled   

v.洗（纸牌）( shuffle的过去式和过去分词 )；拖着脚步走；粗心地做；摆脱尘世的烦恼

参考例句：

• He shuffled across the room to the window. 他拖着脚走到房间那头的窗户跟前。
• Simon shuffled awkwardly towards them. 西蒙笨拙地拖着脚朝他们走去。 来自《简明英汉词典》

21 investor   

n.投资者，投资人

参考例句：

• My nephew is a cautious investor.我侄子是个小心谨慎的投资者。
• The investor believes that his investment will pay off handsomely soon.这个投资者相信他的投资不久会有相当大的收益。

22 clout   

n.用手猛击；权力，影响力

参考例句：

• The queen may have privilege but she has no real political clout.女王有特权，但无真正的政治影响力。
• He gave the little boy a clout on the head.他在那小男孩的头部打了一下。