歐盟是民主的嗎？你的選票真的有用嗎？：英語精讀講義

Being a citizen of the European Union means that many aspects of our lives are regulated by a weird entity. 文法

作為歐盟公民意味著，我們生活中的許多方面都受制於一個奇怪的實體。

It feels like a huge bureaucracy is making decisions over our heads. 慣用語

感覺就像一個龐大的官僚機構在越俎代庖地做決定。

Many Europeans think that their vote in the EU elections doesn't count 用詞

許多歐洲人認為他們在歐盟選舉中的投票毫無意義，

and that the EU is not democratic.

並且認為歐盟不民主。

How democratic is the EU really?

歐盟到底有多民主？

And does your vote actually achieve anything?

你的選票真的能起到什麼作用嗎？

In democratic states,

在民主國家中，

public policies are based on the will of the people. 片語搭配

公共政策是基於人民的意願。

But the people are not a coherent thing.

但人民並不是一個完全一致的整體。

Countless different groups are battling for influence and power 慣用語

無數不同的群體為了影響力和權力而戰，

to establish laws and rules that benefit them.

以建立對他們有利的法律和規則。

In a working democracy,

在一個運作良好的民主國家裡，

there are checks and balances that are supposed to create a fair environment 講解

會有制衡機制，旨在創造一個公平的環境，

where these battles can be fought.

讓這些競爭得以展開。

Term limits stop factions from dominating too much. 文化背景

任期限制防止了派系過度主導。

But all of this ends at our borders. 表達脈絡

但所有這一切到了我們的邊界就結束了。

International politics are not democratic,

國際政治並不民主，

but anarchic. 用詞

而是無政府狀態的。

No central authority is powerful enough to ensure fairness or enforce laws,

沒有哪個中央集權強大到足以確保公平或執行法律，

so the only law is the tyranny of the strongest and anarchy. 慣用語

所以唯一的法則就是強者的暴政和無政府狀態。

So for most of human history,

因此，在人類歷史的大部分時間裡，

powerful countries took what they wanted from others,

強大的國家從其他國家那裡奪取他們想要的東西，

either by extortion or by violence.

要麼透過勒索，要麼透過暴力。

After World War II,

第二次世界大戰之後，

the United Nations were founded to overcome this anarchy

聯合國的成立是為了克服這種無政府狀態，

by establishing rules on how countries should behave.

透過制定國家行為準則。

But since the UN has virtually no power and its members often have opposing interests,

但由於聯合國幾乎沒有實際權力，而且其成員國通常有著對立的利益，

it's usually politely ignored. 語氣意圖

它的規定往往被禮貌地無視。

The EU is a construct that tries to have rules and laws for its member nations that are actually enforceable,

歐盟是一個試圖為其成員國制定切實可行的規則和法律的架構，

as the European Court of Justice is able to make binding decisions. 用詞

因為歐洲法院能夠做出具有約束力的決定。

Originally,

最初，

the EU was founded to ensure peace between European nations

歐盟的成立是為了確保歐洲國家之間的和平

and prosperity for the continent.

以及整個大陸的繁榮。

But it's also an attempt to gain international power for its members.

但這也是為其成員國爭取國際權力的一種嘗試。

It's like a superstate 文化背景

它就像一個超級大國，

and it's striving to be democratic and legitimized by all of its citizens.

並且努力實現民主化並獲得所有公民的合法認可。

To do that,

為了做到這點，

it has to solve the problem of different actors wanting different things. 用詞

它必須解決不同利益相關方訴求不同的問題。

Only that its members are countries with very different priorities.

只不過它的成員國是優先事項各不相同的國家。

So,

那麼，

how does this work?

這是如何運作的呢？

Since the EU is ridiculously complex

既然歐盟複雜得令人髮指，

and politicians are even worse than scientists at naming things,

而且政治人物在命名方面比科學家還要糟糕，

we'll simplify massively and omit a lot of details. 表達脈絡

我們將極大地簡化並省略很多細節。

You can find further reading and explanations in our sources document.

您可以在我們的資料文件中找到進一步的閱讀材料和解釋。

Okay,

好吧，

if you want to create a democratic Union of independent nations,

如果你想創建一個由獨立國家組成的民主聯盟，

you have two options.

你有兩個選擇。

One,

第一，

let everybody vote for national politicians who then make decisions for the Union together.

讓每個人投票選出本國的政治人物，然後由他們共同為聯盟做決定。

Or,

或者，

two,

第二，

let every citizen vote directly for an independent institution that is able to make binding decisions.

讓每位公民直接投票選出一個能夠做出具有約束力決定的獨立機構。

Both approaches have their upsides and downsides

兩種方法都有其優缺點，

and the EU ended up with a mix of both of them. 片語動詞

最終歐盟混合採用了這兩種方法。

Next to the European Court of Justice, 用詞

除了歐洲法院，

there are four main institutions that we'll talk about today.

今天我們還要談論四個主要機構。

The European Council,

歐洲理事會，

which is made up of the heads of government or states of the member countries. 片語動詞

由成員國的政府首腦或國家元首組成。

The Council of the EU with ministers from the member countries.

歐盟理事會，由來自成員國的部長組成。

The third one is the European Commission,

第三個是歐盟委員會，

which is the de facto government of the EU, 用詞

它是歐盟事實上的政府，

having one commissioner for each member state.

每個成員國有一名委員。

And lastly,

最後是，

the European Parliament.

歐洲議會。

The Parliament is the only part of the EU that is directly elected by you,

歐洲議會是歐盟唯一由您，

dear citizen, 語氣意圖

親愛的公民，

in the European elections.

在歐洲選舉中直接選舉產生的部分。

In principle, 片語搭配

原則上，

all of these institutions of the EU originate from your direct or indirect vote,

歐盟所有這些機構都源於您直接或間接的投票，

be it at the national or EU level. 文法

無論是在國家層級還是歐盟層級。

But some do more than others.

但有些機構的作用比其他機構更大。

For example,

例如，

you vote for your national representative

你投票選出本國代表，

and therefore contribute to form a national government whose head of state has a seat in the European Council. 片語搭配

從而促成組建國家政府，而該國元首在歐洲理事會中佔有一席之地。

These leaders choose the president of the EU Commission and its fellow commissioners,

這些領導人選出歐盟委員會主席及其各位委員，

who eventually are confirmed by the EU Parliament.

他們最終將由歐洲議會確認。

So this is a sort of indirect democracy. 片語搭配

所以這是一種間接民主。

You didn't vote for the Commission,

你並沒有給歐盟委員會投票，

but you voted for the people who appointed them

但你把票投給了那些任命他們的人，

and for those who confirmed and police them. 用詞

以及那些確認和監督他們的人。

So in effect, 片語搭配

所以實際上，

2.5 of the four main European Union institutions depend on the member state governments.

歐盟四個主要機構中有2.5個依賴於成員國政府。

But since you as a citizen can only directly vote for the European Parliament,

但是既然作為公民的你只能直接給歐洲議會投票，

the question is,

問題就來了，

how powerful is it?

它的權力有多大？

How much influence does your vote have?

你的選票到底有多大影響力？

The European Parliament started out with very little influence, 文法

歐洲議會一開始的影響力非常小，

but has become more and more powerful over the past two decades.

但在過去的二十年裡變得越來越強大。

Today,

如今，

it has to approve new laws,

它必須批准新法律，

which can be binding for the member countries.

這些法律可以對成員國具有約束力。

It also votes on how the EU budget is spent 片語搭配

它還對歐盟預算的使用方式進行投票，

and on international treaties.

以及對國際條約進行投票。

All of this makes the Parliament very powerful and thus your vote very influential,

所有這些使得議會非常強大，因此您的選票也很有影響力，

even on an international level.

甚至在國際層級上也是如此。

Compared to national parliaments,

不過，與國家議會相比，

one major power is still missing, though. 表達脈絡

它仍然缺少一項主要權力。

The EU Parliament officially can't propose new laws on its own, 片語搭配

歐洲議會官方上不能自行提出新法律，

which is often the core of the argument the EU is not democratic enough

這往往是認為歐盟不夠民主、

and that the European Parliament should be given more influence.

並認為應賦予歐洲議會更多影響力的核心論點。

Right now,

目前，

the member states governments pretty much control the European Union. 用詞

成員國政府幾乎控制著歐盟。

Giving the Parliament more power would make the EU as a whole more democratic, 文法

賦予議會更多權力會使整個歐盟更加民主，

but it would also take power from member states.

但這也會奪走成員國的一些權力。

It's not clear which approach is better.

目前尚不清楚哪種做法更好。

Ultimately,

歸根結底，

it's for the member states and us as citizens to decide how the Union should develop. 文法

應由成員國和我們作為公民來決定聯盟應如何發展。

Okay,

好吧，

so can we draw a conclusion here? 片語搭配

那麼我們能得出結論嗎？

As a whole,

總體而言，

the EU is not as democratic as most of its member states, 文法

歐盟不如大多數成員國那樣民主，

but it is democratic.

但它是民主的。

If you don't like decisions they make regarding copyright,

如果你不喜歡他們在版權方面做出的決定，

for example,

比如，

you can look up what your representatives voted for and vote them out. 片語動詞

你可以查閱你的代表是如何投票的，然後用選票把他們投下去。

The struggle to make it more democratic is closely tied to who holds power over what. 片語搭配

使其更加民主的鬥爭與誰掌控什麼權力密切相關。

The EU keeps changing.

歐盟在不斷變化。

You,

您，

dear citizen,

親愛的公民，

are not only voting on the current politics, 文法

不僅在為當前的政治投票，

but also on what the system will look like in the future.

還在為這個系統未來的樣子投票。

There are many parties and politicians that vow to make the EU Parliament, 用詞

許多政黨和政治人物發誓要讓歐洲議會，

and therefore your vote,

從而讓你的選票，

stronger.

更有影響力。

Many others want to keep it as it is or even diminish it. 片語搭配

還有許多人希望保持原樣，甚至削弱它。

It's for you to decide what you think is better for the future of the Union.

這取決於您認為什麼對聯盟的未來更好。

Currently,

目前，

it's equally important for the EU who you vote for at home

在本國給誰投票對歐盟來說同等重要，

because these are the people who have the most influence in the European Union right now.

因為這些人是目前在歐盟中最有影響力的人。

Opinion.

觀點。

At home is also where the EU is often used as a scapegoat. 慣用語

歐盟在各成員國國內也經常被當成代罪羔羊。

Politicians,

政治人物們，

especially before national elections,

特別是在全國大選前，

like to pretend the EU is all powerful and makes up rules and laws over the heads of the governments and citizens, 片語動詞

喜歡假裝歐盟是萬能的，在政府和公民頭頂上制定規則和法律，

although often they were directly responsible for what the EU did. 表達脈絡

儘管往往正是他們自己對歐盟的所作所為負有直接責任。

Democracy is annoying and complicated and often very boring.

民主令人煩惱、複雜，而且往往非常無聊。

In the European Union,

在歐盟，

even more so than in the member states. 片語搭配

甚至比在成員國還要明顯。

But voting and caring about how our political institutions change and develop

但是，投票和關心我們的政治機構如何變化和發展

is one of the most powerful things we can do as citizens.

是我們作為公民所能做的最有力量的事情之一。

The last few years have shown that extreme things can happen through elections.

過去幾年表明，極端的事情可能透過選舉發生。

We have to decide if we want to be an active part of this process.

我們必須決定我們是否想成為這一進程中的積極參與者。

If we don't take part in the struggle for power that is politics, 文法

如果我們不參與名為政治的權力鬥爭，

others will.

別人就會。

And we might not like what they decide for us.

而我們可能不喜歡他們為我們做的決定。

Because Europe is an important topic for us,

因為歐洲對我們來說是一個重要話題，

we've translated this video into as many European languages as possible. 文法

我們已經將這段影片翻譯成了盡可能多的歐洲語言。

A couple of European YouTubers narrated it

幾位歐洲的YouTuber參與了配音，

and uploaded it to their own channels.

並將其上傳到了他們自己的頻道。

Thank you to Funk and all YouTubers who helped us.

感謝Funk和所有幫助我們的YouTuber們。

You can find the playlist with all language versions in the description.

你可以在說明欄中找到包含所有語言版本的播放清單。