世界上最伟大的演讲--Engels's speech on Karl Marx's funeral 恩格斯:在马克思墓前的讲话

 

Engels's speech on Karl Marx's funeral

"On the 14th of March, at a quarter to three in the afternoon, the greatest living thinker ceased to think. He had been left alone for scarcely two minutes, and when we came back we found him in his armchair, peacefully gone to sleep-but forever.

"An immeasurable loss has been sustained both by the militant¹ proletariat of Europe and America, and by historical science, in the death of this man. The gap that has been left by the departure of this mighty² spirit will soon enough make itself felt.

"Just as Darwin discovered the law of development of organic nature, so Marx discovered the law of development of human history: the simple fact, hitherto concealed³ by an overgrowth of ideology⁴, that mankind must first of all eat, drink, have shelter and clothing, before it can pursue politics, science, art, religion, etc.; that therefore the production of the immediate⁵ material means of subsistence and consequently the degree of economic development attained⁶ by a given people or during a given epoch⁷ form the foundation upon which the state institutions, the legal conceptions, art, and even the ideas on religion, of the people concerned have been evolved, and in the light of which they must, therefore, be explained, instead of vice⁸ versa, as had hitherto been the case.

"But that is not all. Marx also discovered the special law of motion governing the present-day capitalist mode of production and the bourgeois⁹ society that this mode of production has created. The discovery of surplus value suddenly threw light on the problem, in trying to solve which all previous investigations¹⁰, of both bourgeois economists¹¹ and socialist¹² critics, had been groping in the dark.

"Two such discoveries would be enough for one lifetime. Happy the man to whom it is granted to make even one such discovery. But in every single field which Marx investigated —— and he investigated very many fields, none of them superficially —— in every field, even in that of mathematics, he made independent discoveries.

"Such was the man of science. But this was not even half the man. Science was for Marx a historically dynamic, revolutionary force. However great the joy with which he welcomed a new discovery in some theoretical science whose practical application perhaps it was as yet quite impossible to envisage¹³, he experienced quite another kind of joy when the discovery involved immediate revolutionary changes in industry and in historical development in general. For example, he followed closely the development of the discoveries made in the field of electricity and recently those of Marcel Deprez.

"For Marx was before all else a revolutionist. His real mission in life was to contribute, in one way or another, to the overthrow¹⁴ of capitalist society and of the state institutions which it had brought into being, to contribute to the liberation of the modern proletariat, which he was the first to make conscious of its own position and its needs, conscious of the conditions of its emancipation¹⁵. Fighting was his element. And he fought with a passion, a tenacity¹⁶ and a success such as few could rival. His work on the first Rheinische Zeitung (1842), the Paris Vorw?rts! (1844), Br?sseler Deutsche Zeitung (1847), the Neue Rheinische Zeitung (1848-49), the New York Tribune (1852-61), and in addition to these a host of militant pamphlets, work in organisations in Paris, Brussels and London, and finally, crowning all, the formation of the great International Working Men's Association —— this was indeed an achievement of which its founder¹⁷ might well have been proud even if he had done nothing else.

"And, consequently, Marx was the best-hated and most calumniated¹⁸ man of his time. Governments, both absolutist and republican, deported¹⁹ him from their territories. Bourgeois, whether conservative or ultra-democratic, vied with one another in heaping slanders²⁰ upon him. All this he brushed aside as though it were cobweb, ignoring it, answering only when extreme necessity compelled him. And he died beloved, revered²¹ and mourned by millions of revolutionary fellow-workers —— from the mines of Siberia to California, in all parts of Europe and America —— and I make bold to say that though he may have had many opponents he had hardly one personal enemy.

"His name will endure through the ages, and so also will his work!"

原文欣赏

3月14日下午两点三刻，当代最伟大的思想家停止思想了。让他一个人留在房里不过两分钟，当我们进去的时候，便发现他在安乐椅上安静地睡着了---但已经是永远地睡着了。

这个人的逝世，对于欧美战斗的无产阶级，对于历史科学，都是不可估量的损失。这位巨人逝世以后所形成的空白，不久就会使人感觉到。

正像达尔文发现有机界的发展规律一样，马克思发现了人类历史的发展规律，即历来为纷繁芜杂的意识形态所掩盖着的一个简单事实：人们首先必须吃、喝、住、穿，然后才能从事政治、科学、艺术、宗教等等。所以，直接的物质的生活资料的生产，从而一个民族或一个时代的一定的经济发展阶段，便构成基础，人们的国家设施、法的观点、艺术以至宗教观念，就是从这个基础上发展起来的。因而，也必须由这个基础来解释，而不是像过去那样做得相反。

不仅如此。马克思还发现了现代资本主义生产方式和它所产生的资产阶级社会的特殊的运动规律。由于剩余价值的发现，这里就豁然开朗了，而先前无论资产阶级经济学家或社会主义批评家所做的一切都只是在黑暗中摸索。

一生中能有这样两个发现，该是很够了，即使只要能作出一个这样的发现，也已经是幸福的了。但是马克思在他所研究的每一个领域，甚至在数学领域，都有独到的发现，这样的领域是很多的，而且其中任何一个领域他都不是浅尝辄止。

他作为科学家就是这样。但是这在他身上远不是主要的。在马克思看来，科学是一种在历史上起推动作用的、革命的力量。任何一门理论科学中的每一个新发现——它的实际应用也许还根本无法预见——都使马克思感到衷心喜悦，而当他看到那种对工业、对一般历史发展产生革命影响的发现的时候，他的喜悦就非同寻常了。例如，他曾经密切地注视马赛尔·德普勒的发现。

因为马克思首先是一个革命家。他毕生的真正使命,就是以这种或那种方式参加推翻资本主义社会及其所建立的国家设施的事业，参加现代无产阶级的解放事业，正是他第一次使现代无产阶级意识到自身的地位和需要,意识到自身解放的条件。斗争是他的生命要素。很少有人像他那样满腔热情、坚韧不拔和卓有成效地进行斗争。最早的《莱因报》（1842年），巴黎的《前进报》（1844年），《德意志－布鲁塞尔报》（1847年），《新莱茵报》（1848－1849年），《纽约每日论坛报》（1852－1861年），以及许多富有战斗性的小册子，在巴黎、布鲁塞尔和伦敦各组织中的工作，最后，作为全部活动的顶峰，创立伟大的国际工人协会——老实说，协会的这位创始人即使别的什么也没有做，单凭这一结果也可以自豪。

正因为这样，所以马克思是当代最遭嫉恨和最受诬蔑的人。各国政府——无论专制政府或共和政府，都驱逐他；资产者——无论保守派或极端民主派---都竞相诽谤他，诅咒他。他对这一切毫不在意，把它们当作蛛丝一样轻轻拂去，只是在万不得已时才给以回敬。现在他逝世了，在整个欧洲和美洲，从西伯利亚矿井到加利福尼亚，千百万革命战友无不对他表示尊敬、爱戴和悼念。而我可以大胆地说:他可能有过许多敌人，但未必有一个私敌。

他的英名和事业将永垂不朽！

恩格斯写于1883年

1 militant   

adj.激进的，好斗的；n.激进分子，斗士

参考例句：

• Some militant leaders want to merge with white radicals.一些好斗的领导人要和白人中的激进派联合。
• He is a militant in the movement.他在那次运动中是个激进人物。

2 mighty   

adj.强有力的；巨大的

参考例句：

• A mighty force was about to break loose.一股巨大的力量即将迸发而出。
• The mighty iceberg came into view.巨大的冰山出现在眼前。

3 concealed   

a.隐藏的，隐蔽的

参考例句：

• The paintings were concealed beneath a thick layer of plaster. 那些画被隐藏在厚厚的灰泥层下面。
• I think he had a gun concealed about his person. 我认为他当时身上藏有一支枪。

4 ideology   

n.意识形态，(政治或社会的)思想意识

参考例句：

• The ideology has great influence in the world.这种思想体系在世界上有很大的影响。
• The ideal is to strike a medium between ideology and inspiration.我的理想是在意识思想和灵感鼓动之间找到一个折衷。

5 immediate   

adj.立即的；直接的，最接近的；紧靠的

参考例句：

• His immediate neighbours felt it their duty to call.他的近邻认为他们有责任去拜访。
• We declared ourselves for the immediate convocation of the meeting.我们主张立即召开这个会议。

6 attained   

（通常经过努力）实现( attain的过去式和过去分词 )； 达到； 获得； 达到（某年龄、水平、状况）

参考例句：

• She has attained the degree of Master of Arts. 她已获得文学硕士学位。
• Lu Hsun attained a high position in the republic of letters. 鲁迅在文坛上获得崇高的地位。

7 epoch   

n.(新)时代；历元

参考例句：

• The epoch of revolution creates great figures.革命时代造就伟大的人物。
• We're at the end of the historical epoch,and at the dawn of another.我们正处在一个历史时代的末期，另一个历史时代的开端。

8 vice   

n.坏事；恶习；[pl.]台钳，老虎钳；adj.副的

参考例句：

• He guarded himself against vice.他避免染上坏习惯。
• They are sunk in the depth of vice.他们堕入了罪恶的深渊。

9 bourgeois   

adj./n.追求物质享受的(人)；中产阶级分子

参考例句：

• He's accusing them of having a bourgeois and limited vision.他指责他们像中产阶级一样目光狭隘。
• The French Revolution was inspired by the bourgeois.法国革命受到中产阶级的鼓励。

10 investigations   

（正式的）调查( investigation的名词复数 )； 侦查； 科学研究； 学术研究

参考例句：

• His investigations were intensive and thorough but revealed nothing. 他进行了深入彻底的调查，但没有发现什么。
• He often sent them out to make investigations. 他常常派他们出去作调查。

11 economists   

n.经济学家，经济专家( economist的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• The sudden rise in share prices has confounded economists. 股价的突然上涨使经济学家大惑不解。
• Foreign bankers and economists cautiously welcomed the minister's initiative. 外国银行家和经济学家对部长的倡议反应谨慎。 来自《简明英汉词典》

12 socialist   

n.社会主义者；adj.社会主义的

参考例句：

• China is a socialist country,and a developing country as well.中国是一个社会主义国家，也是一个发展中国家。
• His father was an ardent socialist.他父亲是一个热情的社会主义者。

13 envisage   

v.想象，设想，展望，正视

参考例句：

• Nobody can envisage the consequences of total nuclear war.没有人能够想像全面核战争的后果。
• When do you envisage being able to pay me back?你看你什么时候能还我钱？

14 overthrow   

v.推翻，打倒，颠覆；n.推翻，瓦解，颠覆

参考例句：

• After the overthrow of the government,the country was in chaos.政府被推翻后，这个国家处于混乱中。
• The overthrow of his plans left him much discouraged.他的计划的失败使得他很气馁。

15 emancipation   

n.（从束缚、支配下）解放

参考例句：

• We must arouse them to fight for their own emancipation. 我们必须唤起他们为其自身的解放而斗争。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• They rejoiced over their own emancipation. 他们为自己的解放感到欢欣鼓舞。 来自《简明英汉词典》

16 tenacity   

n.坚韧

参考例句：

• Tenacity is the bridge to success.坚韧是通向成功的桥。
• The athletes displayed great tenacity throughout the contest.运动员在比赛中表现出坚韧的斗志。

17 Founder   

n.创始者，缔造者

参考例句：

• He was extolled as the founder of their Florentine school.他被称颂为佛罗伦萨画派的鼻祖。
• According to the old tradition,Romulus was the founder of Rome.按照古老的传说，罗穆卢斯是古罗马的建国者。

18 calumniated   

v.诽谤，中伤( calumniate的过去式和过去分词 )

参考例句：

• Countless facts have proved that he was not calumniated. 无数事实已证明他并不是被人诽谤。 来自辞典例句
• And, consequently, Mark was the best hated and most Calumniated man of his time. 也正因为如此，马克思才在自己所处的时代最遭嫉恨。最受诽谤。 来自互联网

19 deported   

v.将…驱逐出境( deport的过去式和过去分词 )；举止

参考例句：

• They stripped me of my citizenship and deported me. 他们剥夺我的公民资格，将我驱逐出境。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• The convicts were deported to a deserted island. 罪犯们被流放到一个荒岛。 来自《简明英汉词典》

20 slanders   

诽谤，诋毁( slander的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• We condemn all sorts of slanders. 我们谴责一切诽谤中伤的言论。
• All slanders and libels should be repudiated. 一切诬蔑不实之词，应予推倒。

21 revered   

v.崇敬，尊崇，敬畏( revere的过去式和过去分词 )

参考例句：

• A number of institutions revered and respected in earlier times have become Aunt Sally for the present generation. 一些早年受到尊崇的惯例，现在已经成了这代人嘲弄的对象了。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• The Chinese revered corn as a gift from heaven. 中国人将谷物奉为上天的恩赐。 来自辞典例句