公务员与财政紧缩
<p> 2015复习正是强化复习阶段，在考研英语中占了40分，所以考研英语阅读是英语科目中重要的一项。名师老师曾建议过考研生需要坚持每天泛读10-15分钟的英文原刊。强烈推荐了杂志《经济学人》.杂志中的文章也是考研英语的主要材料来源.希望考研考生认真阅读，快速提高考研英语阅读水平。 <span word="Civil">Civil</span> <span word="servants">servants</span> <span word="and">and</span> <span word="austerity">austerity</span> 公务员与财政紧缩 <span word="The">The</span> <span word="times">times</span> <span word="they">they</span> <span word="aren">aren</span> <span word="t">t</span> <span word="a">a</span>-<span word="changin">changin</span> 不曾变革的时代 <span word="Civil">Civil</span>-<span word="service">service</span> <span word="payrolls">payrolls</span> <span word="have">have</span> <span word="held">held</span> <span word="up">up</span> <span word="surprisingly">surprisingly</span> <span word="well">well</span> 一直以来，公务员的薪酬都出奇地好 <span word="AFTER">AFTER</span> <span word="the">the</span> <span word="party">party</span>, <span word="the">the</span> <span word="hangover">hangover</span>. 盛宴之后，宿醉来临。 <span word="When">When</span> <span word="debt">debt</span>-<span word="fuelled">fuelled</span> <span word="economic">economic</span> <span word="growth">growth</span> <span word="came">came</span> <span word="to">to</span> <span word="a">a</span> <span word="crashing">crashing</span> <span word="halt">halt</span> <span word="in">in</span> <span word="the">the</span> <span word="financial">financial</span> <span word="crisis">crisis</span> <span word="of">of</span> 2008,<span word="governments">governments</span> <span word="across">across</span> <span word="much">much</span> <span word="of">of</span> <span word="the">the</span> <span word="rich">rich</span> <span word="world">world</span> <span word="sought">sought</span> <span word="to">to</span> <span word="cut">cut</span> <span word="spending">spending</span>. 在2008年的经济危机中，由债务推动的经济增长模式彻底崩溃，随后许多富裕经济体政府则力图缩减开支。 <span word="One">One</span> <span word="obvious">obvious</span> <span word="target">target</span> <span word="was">was</span> <span word="the">the</span> <span word="state">state</span> <span word="s">s</span> <span word="payroll">payroll</span>. 而其中一个明显的着手点便是公务员薪酬支出。 <span word="Leviathan">Leviathan</span> <span word="s">s</span> <span word="minions">minions</span> <span word="are">are</span> <span word="certainly">certainly</span> <span word="costly">costly</span>. 利维坦仆从们的耗费当然不菲。 <span word="In">In</span> <span word="the">the</span> <span word="European">European</span> <span word="Union">Union</span> <span word="public">public</span>-<span word="sector">sector</span> <span word="wages">wages</span> <span word="and">and</span> <span word="salaries">salaries</span> <span word="take">take</span> <span word="up">up</span> <span word="about">about</span> 10% <span word="of">of</span> <span word="GDP">GDP</span>. 在欧盟国家当中，公共部门的薪水支出大约占国民总收入的10%。 <span word="The">The</span> <span word="Initiative">Initiative</span> <span word="for">for</span> <span word="Policy">Policy</span> <span word="Dialogue">Dialogue</span>, <span word="based">based</span> <span word="at">at</span> <span word="Columbia">Columbia</span> <span word="University">University</span>, <span word="reckons">reckons</span> <span word="that">that</span> <span word="since">since</span> 2010<span word="almost">almost</span> 100 <span word="governments">governments</span> <span word="have">have</span> <span word="set">set</span> <span word="out">out</span> <span word="plans">plans</span> <span word="to">to</span> <span word="cut">cut</span> <span word="their">their</span> <span word="payrolls">payrolls</span>. 据哥伦比亚大学的政策对话倡议组织估计，自2010年以来，已有接近100个政府着手削减他们的公务员薪酬开支。 <span word="Some">Some</span> <span word="cuts">cuts</span> <span word="may">may</span> <span word="be">be</span> <span word="savage">savage</span>. 一些裁员计划或许能用残忍来形容。 <span word="The">The</span> <span word="headcount">headcount</span> <span word="in">in</span> <span word="many">many</span> <span word="British">British</span> <span word="government">government</span> <span word="departments">departments</span> <span word="may">may</span> <span word="fall">fall</span> <span word="by">by</span> <span word="as">as</span> <span word="much">much</span> <span word="as">as</span> 40% <span word="by">by</span> 2019<span word="from">from</span> <span word="current">current</span> <span word="levels">levels</span>, <span word="says">says</span> <span word="a">a</span> <span word="recent">recent</span> <span word="report">report</span> <span word="from">from</span> <span word="the">the</span> <span word="Institute">Institute</span> <span word="for">for</span> <span word="Fiscal">Fiscal</span> <span word="Studies">Studies</span>, <span word="a">a</span> <span word="think">think</span>-<span word="tank">tank</span>. 近期一篇来自英国政府智囊团财政研究院的报告表明，英国许多政府部门将于在2019年之前裁减目前总数40%的员工。 <span word="Relative">Relative</span> <span word="to">to</span> <span word="its">its</span> 2012 <span word="level">level</span> <span word="Italy">Italy</span> <span word="plans">plans</span> <span word="to">to</span> <span word="jettison">jettison</span> 20% <span word="of">of</span> <span word="public">public</span>-<span word="administration">administration</span> <span word="managers">managers</span> <span word="by">by</span>2016. 而意大利政府则计划于2016年之前裁减相当于2012年总量20%的公务员。 <span word="However">However</span>, <span word="aggregated">aggregated</span> <span word="data">data</span> <span word="on">on</span> <span word="public">public</span>-<span word="sector">sector</span> <span word="headcounts">headcounts</span> <span word="offer">offer</span> <span word="some">some</span> <span word="surprises">surprises</span>. 然而，公共部门员工的统计数据却有些出人意料。 <span word="Whereas">Whereas</span> <span word="Britain">Britain</span> <span word="s">s</span> <span word="public">public</span>-<span word="sector">sector</span> <span word="workforce">workforce</span> <span word="has">has</span> <span word="already">already</span> <span word="contracted">contracted</span> <span word="by">by</span> 8% <span word="since">since</span> 2007, <span word="inGermany">inGermany</span> <span word="and">and</span> <span word="France">France</span> <span word="the">the</span> <span word="number">number</span> <span word="has">has</span> <span word="increased">increased</span>. 自2007年起英国政府公务员人数已缩减了8%，与此相反的是德国与法国方面却在增加。 <span word="More">More</span> <span word="intriguing">intriguing</span> <span word="still">still</span> <span word="is">is</span> <span word="what">what</span> <span word="has">has</span> <span word="happened">happened</span> <span word="to">to</span> <span word="compensation">compensation</span> <span word="coststhe">coststhe</span> <span word="amountgovernments">amountgovernments</span> <span word="pay">pay</span> <span word="bureaucrats">bureaucrats</span> <span word="in">in</span> <span word="wages">wages</span> <span word="and">and</span> <span word="salaries">salaries</span>, <span word="but">but</span> <span word="not">not</span> <span word="pensions">pensions</span>. 更耐人寻味的是官僚薪酬待遇变化情况，而不是津贴方面的问题。 <span word="Of">Of</span> <span word="the">the</span> 30 <span word="countries">countries</span> <span word="in">in</span> <span word="a">a</span> <span word="Eurostat">Eurostat</span> <span word="database">database</span>, <span word="half">half</span> <span word="are">are</span> <span word="spending">spending</span> <span word="more">more</span> <span word="after">after</span> <span word="inflation">inflation</span> <span word="on">on</span> <span word="publicemployees">publicemployees</span> <span word="than">than</span> <span word="they">they</span> <span word="were">were</span> <span word="in">in</span> 2007, <span word="even">even</span> <span word="in">in</span> <span word="cases">cases</span> <span word="where">where</span> <span word="headcount">headcount</span> <span word="has">has</span> <span word="fallen">fallen</span>. 据欧盟统计局的资料显示，有半数国家公务员薪酬开支与2007年的水平相比有所提升。 <span word="The">The</span> <span word="euro">euro</span> <span word="zone">zone</span> <span word="as">as</span> <span word="a">a</span> <span word="whole">whole</span> <span word="spends">spends</span> <span word="only">only</span> 1.7% <span word="less">less</span> <span word="on">on</span> <span word="government">government</span> <span word="wages">wages</span> <span word="than">than</span> <span word="it">it</span> <span word="did">did</span> <span word="six">six</span> <span word="yearsago">yearsago</span>. 其中部分国家甚至已经着手削减了其公务员规模。以欧元区国家作为整体来统计，其公务员薪酬开支仅比6年前减少了1.7%。 <span word="Belgium">Belgium</span> <span word="spends">spends</span> 10% <span word="more">more</span>, <span word="Luxembourg">Luxembourg</span> 24%. 与此同时，比利时政府反而增加了10%，卢森堡增加了24%。 <span word="And">And</span> <span word="since">since</span> 2007, 21 <span word="countries">countries</span>, <span word="including">including</span> <span word="Cyprus">Cyprus</span>, <span word="Italy">Italy</span> <span word="and">and</span> <span word="France">France</span>, <span word="have">have</span> <span word="not">not</span> <span word="cut">cut</span> <span word="theproportion">theproportion</span> <span word="of">of</span> <span word="GDP">GDP</span> <span word="that">that</span> <span word="they">they</span> <span word="devote">devote</span> <span word="to">to</span> <span word="public">public</span> <span word="servants">servants</span> <span word="wages">wages</span>. 自2007年以来，有21个国家仍未削减公务员薪酬，这其中包括塞浦路斯、意大利和法国。 <span word="Finding">Finding</span> <span word="explanations">explanations</span> <span word="for">for</span> <span word="dearer">dearer</span> <span word="public">public</span> <span word="payslips">payslips</span> <span word="is">is</span> <span word="tricky">tricky</span>. 要为日益高昂的政府工资单找理由，不是一件容易的事情。 <span word="One">One</span> <span word="reason">reason</span> <span word="might">might</span> <span word="be">be</span> <span word="wage">wage</span> <span word="driftthe">driftthe</span> <span word="automatic">automatic</span> <span word="increases">increases</span> <span word="in">in</span> <span word="salaries">salaries</span> <span word="that">that</span> <span word="can">can</span> <span word="occur">occur</span> <span word="as">as</span> <span word="civilservants">civilservants</span> <span word="are">are</span> <span word="granted">granted</span> <span word="annual">annual</span> <span word="promotions">promotions</span> <span word="in">in</span> <span word="seniority">seniority</span>, <span word="simply">simply</span> <span word="for">for</span> <span word="having">having</span> <span word="been">been</span> <span word="in">in</span> <span word="their">their</span> <span word="jobs">jobs</span> <span word="foranother">foranother</span> <span word="year">year</span>. 其中一个原因或许可以总结为工资浮动这一机制确保了公务员薪酬随着职位的逐年提升而增加，而职位的提升往往并不需要什么理由，仅仅在自己的岗位上又待了一年的公务员便可获得提升。 <span word="In">In</span> 2012, <span word="for">for</span> <span word="example">example</span>, <span word="more">more</span> <span word="than">than</span> 600,000 <span word="staff">staff</span> <span word="from">from</span> <span word="Britain">Britain</span> <span word="s">s</span> <span word="National">National</span> <span word="Health">Health</span> <span word="Service">Service</span> <span word="receivedrises">receivedrises</span> <span word="averaging">averaging</span> 3.5%, <span word="despite">despite</span> <span word="a">a</span> <span word="pay">pay</span> <span word="freeze">freeze</span>. 例如，除了一次薪金冻结之外，英国国家医疗卫生服务系统超过60万名员工，在2012年得到了平均3.5%的薪金涨幅。 <span word="In">In</span> 2010 <span word="Barack">Barack</span> <span word="Obama">Obama</span> <span word="also">also</span> <span word="decided">decided</span> <span word="to">to</span> <span word="freeze">freeze</span> <span word="government">government</span> <span word="pay">pay</span>, <span word="yet">yet</span> <span word="the">the</span> <span word="median">median</span> <span word="salary">salary</span> <span word="forfederal">forfederal</span> <span word="employees">employees</span> <span word="climbed">climbed</span> <span word="by">by</span> <span word="over">over</span> $3,000 <span word="during">during</span> <span word="the">the</span> <span word="following">following</span> <span word="two">two</span> <span word="years">years</span>. 在2010年，美国总统奥巴马虽然同样地实施了薪金冻结，然而在其后的两年内，公务员薪酬中位数则突破了3000美元的大关。 <span word="Wage">Wage</span> <span word="drift">drift</span> <span word="could">could</span> <span word="outweigh">outweigh</span> <span word="the">the</span> <span word="effect">effect</span> <span word="of">of</span> <span word="reduced">reduced</span> <span word="headcount">headcount</span>, <span word="which">which</span> <span word="is">is</span> <span word="likely">likely</span> <span word="to">to</span> <span word="beconcentrated">beconcentrated</span> <span word="in">in</span> <span word="the">the</span> <span word="lower">lower</span> <span word="echelons">echelons</span> <span word="of">of</span> <span word="the">the</span> <span word="civil">civil</span> <span word="service">service</span>. 工资浮动机制的影响，可能远比裁减人员的作用更大，而这是由于政府的裁员计划主要面向低层公务员。 <span word="Another">Another</span> <span word="possibility">possibility</span>, <span word="suggests">suggests</span> <span word="Alberto">Alberto</span> <span word="Alesina">Alesina</span> <span word="of">of</span> <span word="Harvard">Harvard</span> <span word="University">University</span>, <span word="is">is</span> <span word="that">that</span> <span word="governmentssimply">governmentssimply</span> <span word="failed">failed</span> <span word="to">to</span> <span word="implement">implement</span> <span word="planned">planned</span> <span word="spending">spending</span> <span word="cuts">cuts</span>. 哈佛大学的艾尔波托?艾莱斯那表示还有另一种可能：简单地说，那就是政府没有去执行早已制定好的开支削减计划。 <span word="At">At</span> <span word="the">the</span> <span word="end">end</span> <span word="of">of</span> <span word="January">January</span> <span word="Greece">Greece</span> <span word="s">s</span> <span word="highest">highest</span> <span word="administrative">administrative</span> <span word="court">court</span> <span word="ruled">ruled</span> <span word="that">that</span> <span word="pay">pay</span> <span word="reductions">reductions</span> <span word="for">for</span> <span word="thearmed">thearmed</span> <span word="forces">forces</span> <span word="and">and</span> <span word="emergency">emergency</span> <span word="services">services</span> <span word="were">were</span> <span word="unconstitutional">unconstitutional</span>: <span word="the">the</span> <span word="government">government</span> <span word="now">now</span> <span word="faces">faces</span> <span word="aheavy">aheavy</span> <span word="bill">bill</span> <span word="in">in</span> <span word="back">back</span> <span word="pay">pay</span>. 在一月底，希腊最高行政法院宣布，政府对军队以及应急服务部门的经费削减行为是违宪的：这意味着政府现在要面对的是堆积如山的欠薪账单。 <span word="Portugal">Portugal</span> <span word="s">s</span> <span word="constitutional">constitutional</span> <span word="court">court</span> <span word="also">also</span> <span word="opposed">opposed</span> <span word="the">the</span> <span word="scrapping">scrapping</span> <span word="of">of</span> <span word="Christmas">Christmas</span> <span word="bonuses">bonuses</span> <span word="for">for</span> <span word="civilservants">civilservants</span> <span word="on">on</span> <span word="similar">similar</span> <span word="grounds">grounds</span>. 同样地，葡萄牙宪法法庭也反对其政府取消相关部门公务员圣诞节奖金的计划。 <span word="These">These</span> <span word="data">data</span> <span word="are">are</span> <span word="worrisome">worrisome</span>. 以上种种数据令人十分不安。 <span word="The">The</span> <span word="implicit">implicit</span> <span word="trade">trade</span>-<span word="off">off</span> <span word="of">of</span> <span word="austerity">austerity</span> <span word="was">was</span> <span word="pain">pain</span> <span word="now">now</span>, <span word="prosperity">prosperity</span> <span word="later">later</span>. 如今交由政府当局权衡的利弊是自己能否忍受开支削减的痛苦，以换取将来的经济繁荣。 <span word="Yet">Yet</span> <span word="as">as</span> <span word="growth">growth</span> <span word="in">in</span> <span word="advanced">advanced</span> <span word="economies">economies</span> <span word="picks">picks</span> <span word="up">up</span>, <span word="many">many</span> <span word="civil">civil</span> <span word="services">services</span> <span word="seem">seem</span> <span word="no">no</span> <span word="morestreamlined">morestreamlined</span> <span word="than">than</span> <span word="before">before</span>. 但随着发达国家经济增长复苏，许多公共服务将愈发臃肿不堪。 词语解释 1.<span word="financial">financial</span> <span word="crisis">crisis</span> 财务危机 <span word="Did">Did</span> <span word="the">the</span> <span word="financial">financial</span> <span word="crisis">crisis</span> <span word="change">change</span> <span word="very">very</span> <span word="much">much</span>? 金融危机是否带来了许多变化? <span word="The">The</span> <span word="international">international</span> <span word="monetary">monetary</span> <span word="fund">fund</span> <span word="is">is</span> <span word="in">in</span> <span word="financialcrisis">financialcrisis</span>. 国际货币基金组织正处于财政危机之中。 2.<span word="take">take</span> <span word="up">up</span> 开始从事;接受 <span word="But">But</span> <span word="a">a</span> <span word="plot">plot</span> <span word="description">description</span> <span word="could">could</span> <span word="take">take</span> <span word="up">up</span> <span word="all">all</span> <span word="my">my</span> <span word="space">space</span>, <span word="and">and</span> <span word="more">more</span>. 一个情节的描述会占用我的全部空间还不够。 <span word="Ten">Ten</span> <span word="billion">billion</span> <span word="twitter">twitter</span> <span word="messages">messages</span> <span word="take">take</span> <span word="up">up</span> <span word="little">little</span> <span word="storage">storage</span> <span word="space">space</span>: <span word="about">about</span> <span word="five">five</span> <span word="terabytes">terabytes</span> <span word="of">of</span> <span word="data">data</span>. 一百亿条<span word="twitter">twitter</span>信息所占用的存储空间很小：约五万亿字节数据。 3.<span word="plan">plan</span> <span word="to">to</span> 打算,计划 <span word="Many">Many</span> <span word="plan">plan</span> <span word="to">to</span> <span word="stomach">stomach</span> <span word="more">more</span> <span word="risk">risk</span>. 许多人计划承担更多的风险。 <span word="Other">Other</span> <span word="countries">countries</span> <span word="plan">plan</span> <span word="to">to</span> <span word="buy">buy</span> <span word="or">or</span> <span word="build">build</span> <span word="more">more</span>. 其他国家也打算购买或建造更多的潜艇。 4.<span word="as">as</span> <span word="much">much</span> <span word="as">as</span> 差不多 <span word="But">But</span> <span word="the">the</span> <span word="most">most</span> <span word="swingeing">swingeing</span> <span word="cuts">cuts</span> <span word="were">were</span> <span word="to">to</span> <span word="pensions">pensions</span>, <span word="which">which</span> <span word="were">were</span> <span word="slashed">slashed</span> <span word="by">by</span> <span word="as">as</span> <span word="much">much</span> <span word="as">as</span> 55%. 但是大部分大幅的削减都是在养老金上面的，足足高达55%。 <span word="Because">Because</span> <span word="he">he</span> <span word="believes">believes</span> <span word="you">you</span> <span word="doubt">doubt</span> <span word="him">him</span> <span word="as">as</span> <span word="much">much</span> <span word="as">as</span> <span word="he">he</span> <span word="doubts">doubts</span> <span word="himself">himself</span>. 因为他相信你会怀疑他就像他怀疑他自己一样。</p>
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