Argentina
阿根廷
Deadlock
剑拔弩张
May 29th 2008 | ROSARIO
From The Economist print edition
2008年5月29日| 罗萨里奥
摘自《经济学人》印刷版
Angry farmers v an obstinate president
愤怒的农民PK固执的总统
Farmers, big and small, against taxes
农民老少争相反对征税
IN BRILLIANT autumn sunshine on May 25th, Argentina’s national day, some 200,000 people packed into a riverside plaza in Rosario, Argentina’s third city and its farm capital, in the largest anti-government rally in years. The crowd booed every mention of Cristina Fernández de Kirchner, the president, and cheered the country’s farmers, who are protesting against her government’s decision to raise export taxes.
5 月25日是阿根廷的国庆节。此日秋高气爽，阳光明媚。约有20万人挤入罗萨里奥（阿根廷的第三大城市和阿根廷的农业首都）的一个河畔广场，组成近几年规模 最大的反政府集会。每当提及克里斯蒂娜总统的名字，人群便发出阵阵嘘声喝倒彩。集会的民众还在为阿根廷国内的农民欢呼雀跃，因为他们正在抗议克里斯蒂娜政 府关于提高出口税的决定。
Ms Fernández had planned to use the national day to announce a corporatist “social pact” on wages, prices and investment. She was forced to change her plans. After comfortably winning a presidential election last year, she succeeded her husband, Néstor Kirchner, on December 10th. Her mishandling of the farmers’ dispute, together with rising inflation that is eroding living standards, has curtailed her honeymoon: her approval rating has fallen from 54% in February to just 26%, according to Poliarquía, a polling firm.
克里斯蒂娜总 统曾计划利用国庆节宣布在工资、物价和投资方面的“社会公约”，这也正是社团主义者所大力倡导的。不过，现在她不得不改变计划。在去年顺利赢得总统大选举 后，克里斯蒂娜便于12月10日继承了丈夫的总统职位。对农民的争端问题处理不当，再加上骤增的通货膨胀对生活水平的破坏，已大大缩短了克里斯蒂娜同选民 的“和睦相处期”：据投票机构Poliarquía的调查显示，克里斯蒂娜总统的支持率从2月份的54%下滑到当前仅有的26%。
The dispute was triggered by the government’s decision in March to introduce a new sliding scale of export taxes: the levy on soyabeans rose to 40%, from 27% last year, slashing profit margins. Moreover, the scheme set a virtual price ceiling: if the price goes over $600 a tonne (it is currently $495), the government pockets 95% of the proceeds thereafter. That brought trading in agricultural futures to a halt.
政 府在3月份决定实施出口税额比例不定的新举措：对大豆的征税从去年的27%上升到40%，大幅度减少了利润。政府的这一决议正是争端的导火索。除此以外， 新举措事实上还设置了一个的价格上限：如果价格超过每吨600美元 (当前为495美元)，政府将会获取收益的95%。此举将致使农业期货交易停滞不前。
The farmers responded with strikes and roadblocks. In subsequent talks, the government offered sweeteners for small-scale farmers, but refused to reverse the increase. On May 28th the farmers began a new strike, holding back exports and cattle. That may strain public sympathy.
针对政府的所作所为，农民举行了罢工和设置了路障。在随后的谈判中，政府向小型农场的农场主提供了一些好处，但拒绝下调征税比例。在5月28日农民举行了新一轮的罢工活动，限制货物出口和禁止牛肉输出。尽管，这或许是为了引发公众的同情。
The dispute has undermined confidence in Argentina’s economic revival. This month the central bank has spent $1.4 billion to defend the peso, according to La Nación, a newspaper, and some money has left the banks. Behind Ms Fernández stands her notoriously obstinate, and still popular, husband. In Rosario they seemed equally determined.
阿根廷政府对国家 经济复兴的信心已因这些争端受到削弱。据阿根廷《民族报》(La Nación)的报道，阿根廷中央银行在本月已投入14亿美元以防止比索贬值，并且许多款项已从多家银行提出。声名狼藉地固执和大受欢迎的丈夫在支持着克 里斯蒂娜总统。在罗萨里奥，两者看似同等坚决。
译者：captain21 http://www.ecocn.org/forum/viewthread.php?tid=11764&extra=page%3D1