经济学人83:工会的力量 The power in the union

 　　Books and Arts; Book Review;American agribusiness;The power in the union;

　　文艺；书评；美国农业；工会的力量；

　　Trampling¹ Out the Vintage: César Chávez and the Two Souls of the United Farm Workers. By Frank Bardacke.

　　把葡萄踩在脚下：塞萨尔·查韦斯以及美国农会的两个灵魂人物。弗兰克·巴达克著。

　　“He is trampling out the vintage” is part of a line from “The Battle Hymn² of the Republic”. It continues “where the grapes of wrath³ are stored”. Thus the title of Frank Bardacke's history deliberately⁴ echoes John Steinbeck's novel, a proletarian classic which tells the story of tenant⁵ farmers driven off their fields in Oklahoma and forced to cross the country to seek work in California.

　　“他踏在......”是《共和国战歌》里的一段，后接着“搁愤怒葡萄的地方”。因此，弗兰克·巴达克的史书的标题有意应和了约翰·斯登贝克那部讲述俄克拉荷马失地佃农被迫横穿美国到加州谋生的无产阶级经典小说。

　　But, as Mr Bardacke stresses, a huge demographic difference divides then from now. In the Depression of the 1930s Steinbeck could present his impoverished⁶ “Okies” as deserving of government help “because they were true American whites”. It was harder for their Mexican-American successors to win public sympathy. They were brown, Spanish-speaking and “considered aliens and sojourners”.

　　但是，正如巴达克强调，从人口学上讲，现在与过去已大不同。30年代大萧条时，斯登贝克可以提出贫困的“俄克拉荷马人”应得到政府帮助，“因为他们是真正的美国白人”。对墨西哥裔美国人来说，获得公众同情则比较难。这些棕色皮肤，说西班牙语的人被看作外国人和旅居者。

　　It took the genius of César Chávez, whose family was dispossessed of its land during his boyhood, to bring them into the American mainstream⁷. As a vegan inspired by Catholic social teaching and the non-violent methods of Mohandas Gandhi, Chávez was more comfortable with religious people than political ones. He set out to create a movement rather than a union, leading a “pilgrimage” across the Central Valley of California to the state capital, Sacramento, in 1966. When his followers⁸ were blocked by the police they knelt in prayer behind a picture of the Virgin⁹ of Guadalupe.

　　这使塞萨尔·查韦斯，这个孩提时代便遭遇一家人流离失所的天才进入了美国主流社会。比起政界人士，作为一名受天主教社会教义以及莫罕达斯·甘地非暴力主义鼓舞的素食主义者，他更认同宗教界人士。他打算发起一场运动，而非工会。这场运动是1966年由他领导的穿过加州中部山谷到达州府萨克拉门托的朝圣之旅。当被警察拦下时，他的追随者跪在圣母像前做起了祷告。

　　The idealism of Chávez's movement and the fasts he endured to win support for striking farmworkers caught the public imagination. Other labour leaders looked on aghast as he built an odd but strong coalition¹⁰ of farmworkers, religious enthusiasts¹¹, student radicals¹², politicians, artists and union officials. Working together they persuaded consumers in their millions to boycott¹³ the grapes, lettuces¹⁴ and other products of agribusinesses which refused to negotiate sincerely with the United Farm Workers (UFW). The tactic¹⁵ they perfected was described by critics as “victimhood”. A photograph of a starving urchin¹⁶ was, for instance, captioned¹⁷: “Every grape you buy helps keep this child hungry”.

　　意在赢得罢工农民支持的查韦斯的运动的理论以及他所忍受的绝食引起了公众的猜想。其他劳工领袖惊讶地发现，他建立了一个古怪的，却集合了农民、宗教狂热分子、学生激进分子、政治家、艺术家和工会干部的强大联合。他们齐心协力劝说上百万消费者抵制由拒绝真诚地与农会谈判的农业公司所生产的产品：葡萄、生菜及其它。经他们完善的策略被评论家描述为“受迫害情结”。比如，一幅饥饿的儿童画像下打出的标题是：你购买的每一颗葡萄都让这个孩子挨饿。

　　Mr Bardacke is only half-impressed with all this. As he sees it Chávez had two main responsibilities: to sustain support for boycotts¹⁸, “which he did magnificently”, and to administer the union, “which he did badly”. The author notes that the union's membership continued to decline in the late 1980s even after Chávez fasted for 36 days to support its grape boycott and anti-pesticide campaign. His verdict seems unduly¹⁹ harsh but then Mr Bardacke is an old-fashioned leftist. For him, strikebreakers are almost always “scabs” and growers not even worth listening to. This is a pity, for such prejudices mar²⁰ an otherwise intelligent, thorough history.

　　对此，巴达克则不置可否。依他之见，查韦斯担负有两个主要责任：维持对抵制的支持，“这点他做得非常好”，至于管理工会“这点做得很糟糕”。作者注明，即使查韦斯为声援抵制葡萄及反杀虫剂运动而绝食36天，工会会员数在80年代末期也不断下降。他的结论看上去过于偏激，但巴达克是一名“老左”，对他来说，破坏罢工者几乎全是“工贼”，而推波助澜者甚至可以置之不理。这不得不说是种遗憾，因为其它方面的睿智的、深刻的历史有损于这种偏见。

　　The UFW is indeed, as he contends, a shadow of its former self, but the odds²¹ against it ever succeeding as a conventional labour union were always impossibly large. Illegal migrants from Mexico, poor and desperate for work, poured across the border to take the jobs of UFW members and doom²² their strikes. The rival Teamsters union was no help. Its operatives sabotaged²³ UFW recruitment drives by telling farmworkers they would be much better off in a tough professional union like theirs.

　　的确，正如他所主张的那样，农会是其前身的影子。但它和它所继承的传统农会的差别一直很大。贫穷的、渴求工作的墨西哥非法移民如潮水般越过边境，抢走了农会会员的饭碗，使得罢工失败。其竞争对手，名为掌控者的工会对此一点忙都帮不上。他们告诉农民，加入像他们这样强硬的职业工会日子会更好，这些行径打击了农会的招募新会员的动力。

　　Nonetheless Chávez left a significant legacy²⁴ which is insufficiently²⁵ acknowledged by Mr Bardacke. In leading by example and through the sheer force of his will he raised the stature²⁶ of Mexican-Americans not just in California and the south-west but throughout the United States. In consequence, he is now held in the same high esteem²⁷ as his black equivalent, Martin Luther King. César Chávez's portrait hangs in the National Gallery in Washington, DC. His statue stands on university campuses. Streets, parks and buildings are named after him. In California his birthday, March 31st, is a state holiday. His truth is marching on.

　　虽然不被巴达克完全认可，但查韦斯留下了一笔重要的遗产。榜样以及他的遗志所产生的巨大力量不仅仅在加州和西南部，更在全美树立了墨西哥裔美国人的形象。结果是，如今人们把他摆在了和马丁·路德·金一样受人尊敬的地位。塞萨尔·查韦斯的画像悬挂在华盛顿国家画廊。他的塑像屹立在大学校园里。马路、公园、建筑物以他的名字命名。在加州，他的生日，也就是3月31日，成了州立节日。他的真理将代代传承。

1 trampling   

踩( trample的现在分词 )； 践踏； 无视； 侵犯

参考例句：

• Diplomats denounced the leaders for trampling their citizens' civil rights. 外交官谴责这些领导人践踏其公民的公民权。
• They don't want people trampling the grass, pitching tents or building fires. 他们不希望人们踩踏草坪、支帐篷或生火。

2 hymn   

n.赞美诗，圣歌，颂歌

参考例句：

• They sang a hymn of praise to God.他们唱着圣歌，赞美上帝。
• The choir has sung only two verses of the last hymn.合唱团只唱了最后一首赞美诗的两个段落。

3 wrath   

n.愤怒，愤慨，暴怒

参考例句：

• His silence marked his wrath. 他的沉默表明了他的愤怒。
• The wrath of the people is now aroused. 人们被激怒了。

4 deliberately   

adv.审慎地；蓄意地；故意地

参考例句：

• The girl gave the show away deliberately.女孩故意泄露秘密。
• They deliberately shifted off the argument.他们故意回避这个论点。

5 tenant   

n.承租人；房客；佃户；v.租借，租用

参考例句：

• The tenant was dispossessed for not paying his rent.那名房客因未付房租而被赶走。
• The tenant is responsible for all repairs to the building.租户负责对房屋的所有修理。

6 impoverished   

adj.穷困的，无力的，用尽了的v.使（某人）贫穷( impoverish的过去式和过去分词 )；使（某物）贫瘠或恶化

参考例句：

• the impoverished areas of the city 这个城市的贫民区
• They were impoverished by a prolonged spell of unemployment. 他们因长期失业而一贫如洗。 来自《简明英汉词典》

7 mainstream   

n.（思想或行为的）主流；adj.主流的

参考例句：

• Their views lie outside the mainstream of current medical opinion.他们的观点不属于当今医学界观点的主流。
• Polls are still largely reflects the mainstream sentiment.民调还在很大程度上反映了社会主流情绪。

8 followers   

追随者( follower的名词复数 )； 用户； 契据的附面； 从动件

参考例句：

• the followers of Mahatma Gandhi 圣雄甘地的拥护者
• The reformer soon gathered a band of followers round him. 改革者很快就获得一群追随者支持他。

9 virgin   

n.处女，未婚女子；adj.未经使用的；未经开发的

参考例句：

• Have you ever been to a virgin forest?你去过原始森林吗？
• There are vast expanses of virgin land in the remote regions.在边远地区有大片大片未开垦的土地。

10 coalition   

n.结合体，同盟，结合，联合

参考例句：

• The several parties formed a coalition.这几个政党组成了政治联盟。
• Coalition forces take great care to avoid civilian casualties.联盟军队竭尽全力避免造成平民伤亡。

11 enthusiasts   

n.热心人，热衷者( enthusiast的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• A group of enthusiasts have undertaken the reconstruction of a steam locomotive. 一群火车迷已担负起重造蒸汽机车的任务。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• Now a group of enthusiasts are going to have the plane restored. 一群热心人计划修复这架飞机。 来自新概念英语第二册

12 radicals   

n.激进分子( radical的名词复数 )；根基；基本原理；[数学]根数

参考例句：

• Some militant leaders want to merge with white radicals. 一些好斗的领导人要和白人中的激进派联合。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• The worry is that the radicals will grow more intransigent. 现在人们担忧激进分子会变得更加不妥协。 来自辞典例句

13 boycott   

n./v.(联合)抵制，拒绝参与

参考例句：

• We put the production under a boycott.我们联合抵制该商品。
• The boycott lasts a year until the Victoria board permitsreturn.这个抗争持续了一年直到维多利亚教育局妥协为止。

14 lettuces   

n.莴苣，生菜（ lettuce的名词复数 ）；生菜叶

参考例句：

• My lettuces have gone to seed. 我种的莴苣已结子。 来自《现代汉英综合大词典》
• Are these lettuces home-grown or did you buy them in the market? 这些生菜是自家种的呢，还是你在市场上买的？ 来自辞典例句

15 tactic   

n.战略，策略；adj.战术的，有策略的

参考例句：

• Reducing prices is a common sales tactic.降价是常用的销售策略。
• She had often used the tactic of threatening to resign.她惯用以辞职相威胁的手法。

16 urchin   

n.顽童；海胆

参考例句：

• You should sheer off the urchin.你应该躲避这顽童。
• He is a most wicked urchin.他是个非常调皮的顽童。

17 captioned   

a.标题项下的； 标题所说的

参考例句：

• This paper reviews the production, development and nationalization of the captioned materials. 本文就铜系合金引线框架材料的生产、发展和国产化进程作一论述。
• Please advise other considerable hotels for this captioned group. 请推荐其它一些高级的旅馆给这一群打标语的人。

18 boycotts   

（对某事物的）抵制( boycott的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• Their methods included boycotts and court action, supplemented by'sit-ins". 他们的主要方法包括联合抵制、法庭起诉，还附带进行静坐抗议。
• Are boycotts for other purposes illegal? 至于用于其它目的的联合抵制行动是否也是非法的呢？

19 unduly   

adv.过度地，不适当地

参考例句：

• He did not sound unduly worried at the prospect.他的口气听上去对前景并不十分担忧。
• He argued that the law was unduly restrictive.他辩称法律的约束性有些过分了。

20 mar   

vt.破坏，毁坏，弄糟

参考例句：

• It was not the custom for elderly people to mar the picnics with their presence.大人们照例不参加这样的野餐以免扫兴。
• Such a marriage might mar your career.这样的婚姻说不定会毁了你的一生。

21 odds   

n.让步，机率，可能性，比率；胜败优劣之别

参考例句：

• The odds are 5 to 1 that she will win.她获胜的机会是五比一。
• Do you know the odds of winning the lottery once?你知道赢得一次彩票的几率多大吗？

22 doom   

n.厄运，劫数；v.注定，命定

参考例句：

• The report on our economic situation is full of doom and gloom.这份关于我们经济状况的报告充满了令人绝望和沮丧的调子。
• The dictator met his doom after ten years of rule.独裁者统治了十年终于完蛋了。

23 sabotaged   

阴谋破坏（某事物）( sabotage的过去式和过去分词 )

参考例句：

• The main pipeline supplying water was sabotaged by rebels. 供水主管道被叛乱分子蓄意破坏了。
• They had no competition because competitors found their trucks burned and sabotaged. 他们之所以没有竞争对象，那是因为竞争对象老是发现自己的卡车遭火烧或被破坏。 来自教父部分

24 legacy   

n.遗产，遗赠；先人(或过去)留下的东西

参考例句：

• They are the most precious cultural legacy our forefathers left.它们是我们祖先留下来的最宝贵的文化遗产。
• He thinks the legacy is a gift from the Gods.他认为这笔遗产是天赐之物。

25 insufficiently   

adv.不够地，不能胜任地

参考例句：

• Your insurance card is insufficiently stamped. 你的保险卡片未贴足印花。 来自辞典例句
• Many of Britain's people are poorly dressed, badly housed, insufficiently nourished. 许多英国人衣着寒伧，居住简陋，营养不良。 来自互联网

26 stature   

n.（高度）水平，（高度）境界，身高，身材

参考例句：

• He is five feet five inches in stature.他身高5英尺5英寸。
• The dress models are tall of stature.时装模特儿的身材都较高。

27 esteem   

n.尊敬，尊重；vt.尊重，敬重；把…看作

参考例句：

• I did not esteem him to be worthy of trust.我认为他不值得信赖。
• The veteran worker ranks high in public love and esteem.那位老工人深受大伙的爱戴。