共同营造一个良性竞争的环境

Popular reports that say Chinese officials are routinely corrupt are simply not true. Many are highly intelligent and dedicated. An ethos of competition exists among officials and businessmen which reminds me of my student days at UCLA in the early 1960s. Within each group they know or have heard of who is who, assess each others’ ability, and play the competitive game of performance ranking. It is as if they have no purpose in mind except to see who could climb higher.

　　流行的报道说中国的干部例行地贪污，不可能对。他们之中很多有智慧，对国家有贡献。一种竞争的风气使我想到六十年代初期在洛杉矶加州大学作学生时的感受。在一组同学中大家知道或听过谁是谁，对大家的本领互相估计，然后玩那成绩排列的竞争游戏。仿佛没有其它目的，只是要看谁能爬得高一点。

The xian official who came to visit and asked for a glass of wine is one example. He worked so hard for so small a salary –– about US$300 a month –– that I wondered what drove the man. Would it be corruption money? Promotion? Prestige? Very subtly I tried to feel him out. After a while he knew what I was going after, and said: “My dear professor, I just want to do something for the country.” If and when the environment is sufficiently inspiring, we may see many such people around.

　　那位到我家来求喝一杯葡萄酒的县长是个例子。他工作拼搏，但工资低——每月约三百美元——使我怀疑是些什么驱使他奔走。是贪污钱吗？是升职吗？是声誉吗？我试图很含蓄地找出他的动力根源。过了好一阵他知道我要问的是什么，说：“教授呀，我只想为国家做点事。”不难想象，气氛环境适当，可以有很多像这位县长的人。