经济学人:脆弱民主制度下的选举:为什么监管更重要(1)

 Leaders 领导者

Helping¹ Fragile Democracies: Why monitors matter 脆弱的民主制度下的选举：为什么监管更重要

Foreign observers and local citizen-watchers can make the difference between a fair election and a disaster. 外国和当地公民观察员们能够对竞选公平与否产生很大影响。

No one batted an eyelid² earlier this year when Turkmenistan's strongman, Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov, was “re-elected” with nearly 98% of the vote. 今年早些时候，当土库曼斯坦铁腕人物Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov以近乎98%的支持率重新当选的时候，没人对此产生异议。

Why, one wonders, did he bother with an election at all? 有人就好奇，既然已经知道是这样的结果，Berdimuhamedov为什么还要进行重新选举？

Yet in a growing number of fragile new democracies, especially in Africa, where similarly absurd results were once common, elections have become genuine. 在民主进程缓慢进行的国家，尤其是非洲国家，这样压倒性的选举优势曾经常出现，但是现在，民主选举确实是在进步了。

Since 1991 incumbent³ governments or leaders have been ousted⁴ at the ballot⁵ box at least 45 times, most recently in Nigeria, Ghana, the Gambia and Lesotho. 从1991年以来，在尼日尼亚、加纳、冈比亚、莱索托等国家，当权政府和领导人已经被从选举箱中除名至少45次。

Nerves still jangle at election time, especially when the outcome is likely to be close,  但是在选举期间，人们还是会担心，尤其是选举结果即将出炉的时候。

patronage⁶ and corruption⁷ are pervasive⁸, and rigging and violence have blighted⁹ previous ballots¹⁰. 在这期间，到处都是赞助和腐败，徇私舞弊和暴力也会影响先前的投票结果。

A fraudulent election can tarnish¹¹ a country's reputation, threaten its stability, and deter¹² investment and aid. 一次掺有欺诈的选举会破坏一个国家的声誉、危害它的安全、阻挡外国投资和援助。

Kenya, whose voters go to the polls on August 8th, is just such a case. 8月8日，即将进行选举的肯尼亚就是个例子。

Violence after an election in 2007 left at least 1,300 dead and 700,000 displaced. 2007年选举之后的暴乱，导致1300民众死亡，70万人流离失所。

The country is the economic and strategic hub of east Africa, so a credible¹³ election this time matters not only to Kenyans but to many beyond their borders. 作为非洲东部的经济和战略中心，肯尼亚选举的影响波及很多国家。

Foreign and local observers will be vital to ensuring a clean contest in such a “transitional democracy”. 肯尼亚国内外观察员在保证透明选举这件事上，起着至关重要的作用。

In the bad old days no one (except the hapless citizens of the countries concerned) seemed to care much if elections were rigged, provided they were more or less peaceful. 在过去，只要选举能够和平进行，就没有人（除了那些关心国家的“倒霉蛋”们）在乎它是否公平公正的。

International monitors would swan in a few days before the poll and—more negligently—fly out again a day or two after it,  国际监管员们在选举之前只会到处瞎晃，他们还会粗心地在选举之后的几天后就飞离，

often declaring the election to have been “free and fair” because they had seen voters cast their ballots without violence. 然后说此次选举非常的“公平公正”，因为他们看到选民们是在没有爆发冲突的时候投的票。

No matter that fraud and bad blood often increase after polling day. 之后就再也不管选举之后留下的烂摊子。

 

1 helping   

n.食物的一份&adj.帮助人的，辅助的

参考例句：

• The poor children regularly pony up for a second helping of my hamburger. 那些可怜的孩子们总是要求我把我的汉堡包再给他们一份。
• By doing this, they may at times be helping to restore competition. 这样一来, 他在某些时候,有助于竞争的加强。

2 eyelid   

n.眼睑，眼皮

参考例句：

• She lifted one eyelid to see what he was doing.她抬起一只眼皮看看他在做什么。
• My eyelid has been tumid since yesterday.从昨天起，我的眼皮就肿了。

3 incumbent   

adj.成为责任的，有义务的；现任的，在职的

参考例句：

• He defeated the incumbent governor by a large plurality.他以压倒多数票击败了现任州长。
• It is incumbent upon you to warn them.你有责任警告他们。

4 ousted   

驱逐( oust的过去式和过去分词 )； 革职； 罢黜； 剥夺

参考例句：

• He was ousted as chairman. 他的主席职务被革除了。
• He may be ousted by a military takeover. 他可能在一场军事接管中被赶下台。

5 ballot   

n.（不记名）投票，投票总数，投票权；vi.投票

参考例句：

• The members have demanded a ballot.会员们要求投票表决。
• The union said they will ballot members on whether to strike.工会称他们将要求会员投票表决是否罢工。

6 patronage   

n.赞助，支援，援助；光顾，捧场

参考例句：

• Though it was not yet noon,there was considerable patronage.虽然时间未到中午，店中已有许多顾客惠顾。
• I am sorry to say that my patronage ends with this.很抱歉，我的赞助只能到此为止。

7 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。

8 pervasive   

adj.普遍的；遍布的，(到处)弥漫的；渗透性的

参考例句：

• It is the most pervasive compound on earth.它是地球上最普遍的化合物。
• The adverse health effects of car exhaust are pervasive and difficult to measure.汽车尾气对人类健康所构成的有害影响是普遍的，并且难以估算。

9 blighted   

adj.枯萎的，摧毁的

参考例句：

• Blighted stems often canker.有病的茎往往溃烂。
• She threw away a blighted rose.她把枯萎的玫瑰花扔掉了。

10 ballots   

n.投票表决( ballot的名词复数 )；选举；选票；投票总数v.（使）投票表决( ballot的第三人称单数 )

参考例句：

• They're counting the ballots. 他们正在计算选票。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• The news of rigged ballots has rubbed off much of the shine of their election victory. 他们操纵选票的消息使他们在选举中获得的胜利大为减色。 来自《简明英汉词典》

11 tarnish   

n.晦暗，污点；vt.使失去光泽；玷污

参考例句：

• The affair could tarnish the reputation of the prime minister.这一事件可能有损首相的名誉。
• Stainless steel products won't tarnish.不锈钢产品不会失去光泽。

12 deter   

vt.阻止，使不敢，吓住

参考例句：

• Failure did not deter us from trying it again.失败并没有能阻挡我们再次进行试验。
• Dogs can deter unwelcome intruders.狗能够阻拦不受欢迎的闯入者。

13 credible   

adj.可信任的，可靠的

参考例句：

• The news report is hardly credible.这则新闻报道令人难以置信。
• Is there a credible alternative to the nuclear deterrent?是否有可以取代核威慑力量的可靠办法？