2019年经济学人 全球化放缓(2)

 

Globalisation has slowed from light speed to a snail’s pace in the past decade for several reasons. The cost of moving goods has stopped falling. Multinational¹ firms have found that global sprawl² burns money and that local rivals often eat them alive. Activity is shifting towards services, which are harder to sell across borders: scissors can be exported in 20ft-containers, hair stylists cannot. And Chinese manufacturing has become more self-reliant, so needs to import fewer parts.

过去十年，全球化从光速放缓至蜗牛速，几个原因如下。运输货物的成本已停止下降。跨国公司发现，全球扩张烧钱，而当地竞争对手常常将其生吞。商业活动正转向服务领域，这些领域更难跨国销售：剪刀可以装到20英尺集装箱出口，但发型师不能。且中国制造业已经变得更加自力更生，因此零部件进口需求更低。

This is the fragile backdrop to Mr Trump’s trade war. Tariffs⁴ tend to get the most attention. If America ratchets up duties on China in March, as it has threatened, the average tariff³ rate on all American imports will rise to 3.4%, its highest for 40 years. (Most firms plan to pass the cost on to customers.) Less glaring, but just as pernicious, is that rules of commerce are being rewritten around the world. The principle that investors⁵ and firms should be treated equally regardless of their nationality is being ditched.

这就是特朗普贸易战的脆弱背景。最受关注的是关税。若美国实践其威胁论，在3月份提高对中国的关税，那么所有美国进口商品的平均关税将上升到3.4%，为40年来的最高水平。（大多数公司计划让消费者承担成本。）世界各地正在重写商业规则，虽然由此引起的负面影响没那么大，但还是要引起警觉。原先的原则“无论哪个国家的投资者和公司都应得到平等对待”正在被丢弃。

Evidence for this is everywhere. Geopolitical rivalry⁶ is gripping the tech industry, which accounts for about 20% of world stockmarkets. Rules on privacy, data and espionage⁷ are splintering. Tax systems are being bent⁸ to patriotic⁹ ends—in America to prod¹⁰ firms to repatriate¹¹ capital, in Europe to target Silicon¹² Valley. America and the EU have new regimes for vetting¹³ foreign investment. America has weaponised the power it gets from running the world’s dollar-payments system, to punish foreigners such as Huawei. Even humdrum¹⁴ areas such as accounting¹⁵ and antitrust are fragmenting.

而证据信手拈来。地缘政治的竞争正困扰着占世界股市20%的科技行业。有关隐私、数据和间谍活动的规定正分崩离析。税收系统正出于爱国主义妥协——美国促使企业将资本汇回国内，欧洲则以硅谷为目标。美国和欧盟对于境外投资有一套新的审核制度，目标是为惩罚诸如华为这样的外企。就连会计和反垄断等不起眼的领域也在分崩离析。

1 multinational   

adj.多国的，多种国籍的；n.多国籍公司，跨国公司

参考例句：

• The firm was taken over by a multinational consulting firm.这家公司被一个跨国咨询公司收购。
• He analyzed the relationship between multinational corporations and under-developed countries.他分析了跨国公司和不发达国家之间的关系。

2 sprawl   

vi.躺卧，扩张，蔓延；vt.使蔓延；n.躺卧，蔓延

参考例句：

• In our garden,bushes are allowed to sprawl as they will.在我们园子里，灌木丛爱怎么蔓延就怎么蔓延。
• He is lying in a sprawl on the bed.他伸开四肢躺在床上。

3 tariff   

n.关税，税率；(旅馆、饭店等)价目表，收费表

参考例句：

• There is a very high tariff on jewelry.宝石类的关税率很高。
• The government is going to lower the tariff on importing cars.政府打算降低进口汽车的关税。

4 tariffs   

关税制度； 关税( tariff的名词复数 )； 关税表； （旅馆或饭店等的）收费表； 量刑标准

参考例句：

• British industry was sheltered from foreign competition by protective tariffs. 保护性关税使英国工业免受国际竞争影响。
• The new tariffs have put a stranglehold on trade. 新的关税制对开展贸易极为不利。

5 investors   

n.投资者，出资者( investor的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• a con man who bilked investors out of millions of dollars 诈取投资者几百万元的骗子
• a cash bonanza for investors 投资者的赚钱机会

6 rivalry   

n.竞争，竞赛，对抗

参考例句：

• The quarrel originated in rivalry between the two families.这次争吵是两家不和引起的。
• He had a lot of rivalry with his brothers and sisters.他和兄弟姐妹间经常较劲。

7 espionage   

n.间谍行为，谍报活动

参考例句：

• The authorities have arrested several people suspected of espionage.官方已经逮捕了几个涉嫌从事间谍活动的人。
• Neither was there any hint of espionage in Hanley's early life.汉利的早期生活也毫无进行间谍活动的迹象。

8 bent   

n.爱好，癖好；adj.弯的；决心的，一心的

参考例句：

• He was fully bent upon the project.他一心扑在这项计划上。
• We bent over backward to help them.我们尽了最大努力帮助他们。

9 patriotic   

adj.爱国的，有爱国心的

参考例句：

• His speech was full of patriotic sentiments.他的演说充满了爱国之情。
• The old man is a patriotic overseas Chinese.这位老人是一位爱国华侨。

10 prod   

vt.戳，刺；刺激，激励

参考例句：

• The crisis will prod them to act.那个危机将刺激他们行动。
• I shall have to prod him to pay me what he owes.我将不得不催促他把欠我的钱还给我。

11 repatriate   

v.遣返；返回；n.被遣返回国者

参考例句：

• The government safely repatriates victims.政府安全遣返了受害者。
• In this part,you need to formulate in detail repatriate the plan.在这一部分，你需要制定详细的归国计划。

12 silicon   

n.硅(旧名矽)

参考例句：

• This company pioneered the use of silicon chip.这家公司开创了使用硅片的方法。
• A chip is a piece of silicon about the size of a postage stamp.芯片就是一枚邮票大小的硅片。

13 vetting   

n.数据检查[核对，核实]v.审查（某人过去的记录、资格等）( vet的现在分词 )；调查；检查；诊疗

参考例句：

• Scripts had to be submitted to Ministry of Information officials for vetting. 必须把脚本提交给信息部官员审查。 来自互联网
• Their purpose in clicking deeper into a site is one of vetting. 他们深入点击网站的目的是一种诊疗。 来自互联网

14 humdrum   

adj.单调的，乏味的

参考例句：

• Their lives consist of the humdrum activities of everyday existence.他们的生活由日常生存的平凡活动所构成。
• The accountant said it was the most humdrum day that she had ever passed.会计师说这是她所度过的最无聊的一天。

15 accounting   

n.会计，会计学，借贷对照表

参考例句：

• A job fell vacant in the accounting department.财会部出现了一个空缺。
• There's an accounting error in this entry.这笔账目里有差错。