一、何为民主
I. What is democracy?文章源自英文巴士-https://www.en84.com/12672.html
文章源自英文巴士-https://www.en84.com/12672.html
民主一词源自古希腊语，本意是“人民统治”、“主权在民”。作为一种政体形式，民主迄今已有2500多年历史，涵盖了从古代雅典公民直接民主政府到现代代议制政府等多种形式，是人类政治文明发展的结果。文章源自英文巴士-https://www.en84.com/12672.html
文章源自英文巴士-https://www.en84.com/12672.html
Democracy is a term that derives from the ancient Greek language. It means “rule by the people” or “sovereignty of the people”. As a form of government, democracy has been practiced for over 2,500 years, though in different forms, such as direct democracy of the ancient Athenian citizens and representative government in modern times. Democracy is a manifestation of the political advancement of humanity.文章源自英文巴士-https://www.en84.com/12672.html
文章源自英文巴士-https://www.en84.com/12672.html
民主不是装饰品、不是宣传品，而是要用来解决人民需要解决的问题的。一个国家民主不民主，关键在于是不是真正做到了人民当家做主。要看人民有没有投票权，更要看人民有没有广泛参与权；要看人民在选举中得到了什么口头许诺，更要看选举后这些承诺实现了多少；要看制度和法律规定了什么样的政治程序和政治规则，更要看这些制度和法律是不是真正得到了执行；要看权力运行规则和程序是否民主，更要看权力是否真正受到人民监督和制约。文章源自英文巴士-https://www.en84.com/12672.html
文章源自英文巴士-https://www.en84.com/12672.html
Democracy is not an adornment or publicity stunt; rather, it is meant to be used to solve problems faced by the people. To judge whether a country is democratic, it is important to see whether its people run their own country. In addition to voting rights, it is important to see whether people have the rights to extensive participation. It is important to see what promises are made in an election campaign and, more importantly, how many of those promises are honored afterwards. It is important to see what political procedures and rules are instituted by a country’s systems and laws and, more importantly, whether these systems and laws are truly executed. It is important to see whether the rules and procedures governing the exercise of power are democratic and, more importantly, whether power is truly put under the oversight and checks of the people.文章源自英文巴士-https://www.en84.com/12672.html
文章源自英文巴士-https://www.en84.com/12672.html
一个行之有效的民主制度不仅要有完整的制度程序，而且要有完整的参与实践，能够做到过程民主和成果民主、程序民主和实质民主、直接民主和间接民主、人民民主和国家意志的相统一。如果人民只有在投票时被唤醒、投票后就进入休眠期，只有竞选时聆听天花乱坠的口号、竞选后就毫无发言权，只有拉票时受宠、选举后就被冷落，这样的民主绝不是真正的民主。
A functional democracy must have a full set of institutional procedures; more importantly, it should have full participation of the people. It must ensure democracy in terms of both process and outcomes. It must encompass both procedural and substantive democracy, both direct and indirect democracy. It must ensure both people’s democracy and the will of the State. If the people of a country are only called upon to vote and then are forgotten once they have cast their votes; if the people only hear high-sounding promises during an election campaign but have no say whatsoever afterwards; or if they are wooed when their votes are wanted but are ignored once the election is over, then such a democracy is not a true democracy.
一个国家是不是民主，应该由这个国家的人民来评判，而不是由外部少数人来指手画脚。
Whether a country is democratic should be judged and determined by its own people, not by a minority of self-righteous outsiders.
世界上没有哪一套民主制度是完美的，不存在适用于一切国家的政治制度模式。各国民主制度的建立和民主进程的发展都有其历史性和民族性，都有自身独特价值。国际社会应在相互尊重、平等相待基础上就民主问题进行交流对话，共同为全人类进步作出更大贡献。
There is no perfect system of democracy in the world, nor is there a political system that fits all countries. Democracy is established and developed based on a country’s own history and adapted to its national context, and each country’s democracy has its unique value. Members of the international community should engage in exchanges and dialogues on democracy on the basis of equality and mutual respect, and work together to contribute to the progress of humanity.
二、美国民主的异化及三重弊害
II. The alienation and three malaises of democracy in the US
历史上，美国民主的发展有其进步性，政党制、代议制、一人一票、三权分立等是对欧洲封建专制的否定和革新。法国著名思想家托克维尔在其《论美国的民主》一书中也对此予以积极评价。《独立宣言》、“权利法案”、废奴运动、民权运动、平权运动等成为了美国民主进程中的亮点。林肯的“民有、民治、民享”三原则更是脍炙人口。
From a historical perspective, the development of democracy in the US was a step forward. The political party system, the representative system, one person one vote, and the separation of powers negated and reformed the feudal autocracy in Europe. The well-known French writer Alexis de Tocqueville recognized this in his book Democracy in America. The Declaration of Independence, the Bill of Rights, abolitionist movement, civil rights movement and affirmative action were highlights in the advancement of American democracy. The principle of “government of the people, by the people and for the people” articulated by Abraham Lincoln is recognized worldwide.
但是，随着时间的推移，美国的民主制度逐渐异化和蜕变，已经越来越背离民主制度的内核和制度设计的初衷。金钱政治、身份政治、政党对立、政治极化、社会撕裂、种族矛盾、贫富分化等问题愈演愈烈，民主制度的功能出现衰退。
However, over the years, democracy in the US has become alienated and degenerated, and it has increasingly deviated from the essence of democracy and its original design. Problems like money politics, identity politics, wrangling between political parties, political polarization, social division, racial tension and wealth gap have become more acute. All this has weakened the functioning of democracy in the US.
美国还以民主为名频频干涉他国内政，引发地区国家政局动荡和民不聊生，破坏世界和平稳定和各国社会安定。美国和世界上的许多人都在问，美国还是一个“民主国家”吗？世界需要对美国的民主情况作深入检视，美国自己也需要好好反躬自省。
The US has often used democracy as a pretext to meddle in other countries’ internal affairs, causing political chaos and social unrest in these countries, and undermining world peace and stability and social tranquility in other countries. This makes many people in the US and other countries wonder if the US is still a democracy. The world needs to take a closer look at the current state of democracy in the US, and the US itself should also conduct some soul-searching.
