Chapter 5. On Human Nature and Politics 2012

辽宁大学博士研究生教材辽宁大学公共基础学院ChapterVOnHumanNatureandPoliticsBertrandRussell(1872-1970)wasaBritishphilosopherandlogician.Hewasoneoftheoutstandingfiguresof20thCenturyBritishphilosophy,especiallyimportantforhisworkinmathematicallogic.Hepublishedavastnumberofbooksonlogic,theoryofknowledge,andmanyothertopics.OnHumanNatureandPoliticsUndoubtedlythedesireforfoodhasbeen,andstillis,oneofthemaincausesofgreatpoliticalevents.Butmandiffersfromotheranimalsinoneveryimportantrespect,andthatisthathehasdesires–whichare,sotospeak（可谓）,infinite,–whichcanneverbefullygratified,and–whichwouldkeephimrestlesseveninParadise.OnHumanNatureandPoliticsTheboaconstrictor(巨蟒),whenhehashadanadequatemeal,goestosleep,anddoesnotwakeuntilheneedsanothermeal.Humanbeings,forthemostpart(绝大部分人),arenotlikethis.WhentheArabs,whohadbeenusedtolivingsparingly（节俭）onafewdates,acquiredtherichesoftheEasternRomanEmpireanddweltinpalacesofalmostunbelievableluxury,theydidnot,onthataccount（为此）,becomeinactive（现居不动）.OnHumanNatureandPoliticsHungercouldnolongerbeamotive,forGreekslavessuppliedthemwithexquisiteviands(精美的食物)attheslightestnod.Butotherdesireskeptthemactive:fourinparticular,whichwecanlabel(可以称之为)acquisitiveness,rivalry,vanityandloveofpower.Acquisitiveness(占有欲)-thewishtopossessasmuchaspossibleofgoods,orthetitleto(所有权)goods-isamotivewhich,Isuppose,hasitsorigininacombinationoffearwiththedesirefornecessaries.OnHumanNatureandPoliticsIoncebefriendedtwolittlegirlsfromEsthonia,whohadnarrowlyescapeddeathfromstarvationinafamine(在一次饥荒中差点被饿死).Theylivedinmyfamily,andofcoursehadplentytoeat.Buttheyspentalltheirleisurevisitingneighbouringfarmsandstealingpotatoes,whichtheyhoarded(贮藏).OnHumanNatureandPoliticsRockefeller,whoinhisinfancyhadexperiencedgreatpoverty,spenthisadultlifeinasimilarmanner.SimilarlytheArabchieftainscouldnotforgetthedesert,andhoardedrichesfarbeyondanypossiblephysicalneed.Noonecandenythatitisoneofthegreatmotives-especiallyamongthemorepowerful,for,asIsaidbefore,itisoneoftheinfinitemotives.OnHumanNatureandPoliticsHowevermuchyoumayacquireyouwillalwayswishtoacquiremore;satietyisadreamwhichwillalwayseludeyou(满足是个你永远实现不了的梦).Butacquisitivenessisbynomeansthemostpowerfulofthemotivesthatsurvivetheconquestofhunger(征服饥饿).Rivalry(竞争)isamuchstrongermotive.OnHumanNatureandPoliticsOverandoveragaininMuhammadan(伊斯兰教史上)history,dynastieshavecometogrief(遭难)becausethesonsofasultan（苏丹）bydifferentmotherscouldnotagree,andintheresultingcivilwaruniversalruinresulted(造成普遍的破坏).ThesamesortofthinghappensinmodernEurope.OnHumanNatureandPoliticsWhentheBritishGovernmentveryunwiselyallowedtheKaiser（德皇）tobepresentatanavalreview（海军检阅式）atSpithead,thethoughtwhicharoseinhismindwasnottheonewhichwehadintended.Whathethoughtwas,“ImusthaveaNavyasgoodasGrandmamma‘s（我必须拥有一个海军，跟祖母的一样好）.”Andfromthisthoughthavesprungalloursubsequenttroubles（就是他的这个想法造成了一系列的麻烦）.OnHumanNatureandPoliticsTheworldwouldbeahappierplacethanitisifacquisitivenesswerealwaysstrongerthanrivalry.Butinfact,agreatmanymenwillcheerfullyfaceimpoverishmentiftheycantherebysecurecompleteruinfortheirrivals.（许多人只要保证把他们的竞争对手彻底击败宁肯面对贫穷）OnHumanNatureandPoliticsVanity（虚荣心）isamotiveofimmensepotency（巨大潜力的动机）.Anyonewhohasmuchtodowithchildrenknowshowtheyareconstantlyperformingsomeantic（滑稽动作）andsayingLookatme.Lookatmeisoneofthemostfundamentaldesiresofthehumanheart.Itcantakeinnumerableforms,frombuffoonery（讲粗俗的笑话）tothepursuitofposthumousfame（追求死后的声望）.OnHumanNatureandPoliticsTherewasaRenaissanceItalianprinceling（文艺复兴时期的意大利王公）whowasaskedbythepriestonhisdeathbed（临终前）ifhehadanythingtorepentof（忏悔）.“Yes,”hesaid.“Thereisonething.OnoneoccasionIhadavisitfromtheEmperorandthePope（教皇）simultaneously.Itookthemtothetopofmytowertoseetheview,andIneglectedtheopportunitytothrowthembothdown,whichwouldhavegivenmeimmortalfame（获得不朽的声望）.OnHumanNatureandPoliticsHistorydoesnotrelatewhetherthepriestgavehimabsolution（免罪）.Oneofthetroublesaboutvanityisthatitgrowswithwhatitfeedson（随着鼓励的增加而增加）.Themoreyouaretalkedabout,themoreyouwillwishtobetalkedabout.Thecondemnedmurderer（判了刑的杀人犯）whoisallowedtoseetheaccountofhistrial（审判他的报导）inthePressisindignant（气愤）ifhefindsanewspaperwhichhasreporteditinadequately（没作充足的报导）.OnHumanNatureandPoliticsAndthemorehefindsabouthimselfinothernewspapers,themoreindignanthewillbewiththosewhosereportsaremeagre（报导少的）.Politiciansandliterarymenareinthesamecase.Andthemorefamoustheybecome,themoredifficultthepresscuttingagency（剪报机构）findsittosatisfythem.OnHumanNatureandPoliticsItisscarcelypossibletoexaggeratetheinfluenceofvanitythroughouttherangeofhumanlife.(在人类生活的各个阶段,怎样夸大虚荣心的影响都不过分)Mankindhaveevencommittedtheimpietyofattributingsimilardesirestothedeity,whomtheyimagineavidforcontinualpraise.(人类犯了个大不敬的错误，认为神灵有同样的欲望，想象神灵也渴望得到不断的歌颂。)OnHumanNatureandPoliticsButgreatasistheinfluenceofthemotiveswehavebeenconsidering,thereisonewhichoutweighsthemall.Power,likevanity,isinsatiable(无法得到满足).Nothingshortofomnipotencecouldsatisfyitcompletely(只有无限权力才能使它满足).OnHumanNatureandPoliticsItis,indeed,byfarthestrongestmotiveinthelivesofimportantmen.Loveofpowerisgreatlyi