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Our country of the year
Hope springs
This has been a bad year for nation-states. But some—and one in particular—deserve congratulations
EVEN with the best will in the world—which, in 2014, has not been conspicuously1 forthcoming—the outgoing year could not be regarded as one of the planet's finest. Between war, disease and insurrection, the past 12 months have often seemed a gory2 relay for the apocalypse's four horsemen. But look closely, and amid the misery3 there have been reasons for optimism. Whether by dint4 of boldness or stoicism, there are numerous candidates for the coveted5 title of The Economist's country of the year.
In fact 2014 was a bad year for the very concept of countries, as well as for lots of individual nations. The pre-modern marauders of Islamic State (IS) rampaged between Iraq and Syria, and Russian forces dismembered Ukraine, as if borders were elastic6 lines rather than fixed7 frontiers. Boko Haram traduced8 the sovereignty of Nigeria while the Shabab convulsed the Horn of Africa. South Sudan, a brand new country born only three years ago, imploded9 in civil war.
But other territories have bravely resisted disintegration10. The Marshall Islands may be sinking but, by championing the struggle against climate change, they are at least going down fighting. The peshmerga of Iraqi Kurdistan—not yet a country but perhaps on its way to that status—repelled the jihadists of IS and may have saved Baghdad. In a different, democratic kind of confrontation11, but in its way an equally vigorous one, the people of Scotland wisely voted not to end three centuries of union and stayed in the United Kingdom. That would make Scotland a good candidate for our title, except that lauding12 it as a country because it chose not to become one might seem gallingly contrarian.
Disaster has been averted13 elsewhere, too. Senegal responded with alacrity14 to its Ebola outbreak (as indeed did Nigeria). Afghanistan remains15 one of the world's bleakest17 places, but it looks a little less bleak16 after a peaceful handover of power: the Taliban are still slaughtering18 people, but politically they are a busted19 flush. Tiny Lebanon deserves a mention for absorbing hundreds of thousands of Syrian refugees, plus the machinations of malignant20 outsiders, and continuing, just about, to function. If the peace process between Colombia's government and its FARC guerrillas succeeds, it will be a favorite for our award in 2015.
On our home turf of economics there have been some standout performances. Ireland and Iceland have both pulled clear of trouble, showing that democracies can, after all, implement21 painful decisions when they must. Unusually among euro-zone countries, Estonia has kept its nose clean. Narendra Modi's victory in India may come to be seen as the moment the world's biggest democracy began to realize its vast potential. We may find that out in 2015, too.
And the winner is…
Yet there is more to life and to statecraft than guns and GDP: witness our choice in 2013 of Uruguay, for its liberal stance on drugs and gay marriage. (Uruguay has had another strong year, notching22 up a model election, impressive growth and a grown-up welcome to six internees from Guantánamo.) The two top contenders for our 2014 title earned their kudos23 for displays of political maturity24 that, like most great achievements, involved both leaders and their people.
The runner-up (just) is Indonesia, the world's largest Muslim nation, where a modern politician bested the old, militaristic regime in a fair if rancorous vote. The new, reforming president, Joko Widodo, has begun to nudge his country beyond its crossroads and towards prosperity.
Our winner is a much smaller nation, but we think symbolism matters more than size. The idealism engendered25 by the Arab spring has mostly sunk in bloodshed and extremism, with a shining exception: Tunisia, which in 2014 adopted a new, enlightened constitution and held both parliamentary and presidential polls (a run-off is due in the latter on December 21st). Its economy is struggling and its polity is fragile; but Tunisia's pragmatism and moderation have nurtured26 hope in a wretched region and a troubled world. Mabrouk, Tunisia!
1 conspicuously | |
ad.明显地,惹人注目地 | |
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2 gory | |
adj.流血的;残酷的 | |
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3 misery | |
n.痛苦,苦恼,苦难;悲惨的境遇,贫苦 | |
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4 dint | |
n.由于,靠;凹坑 | |
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5 coveted | |
adj.令人垂涎的;垂涎的,梦寐以求的v.贪求,觊觎(covet的过去分词);垂涎;贪图 | |
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6 elastic | |
n.橡皮圈,松紧带;adj.有弹性的;灵活的 | |
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7 fixed | |
adj.固定的,不变的,准备好的;(计算机)固定的 | |
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8 traduced | |
v.诋毁( traduce的过去式和过去分词 );诽谤;违反;背叛 | |
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9 imploded | |
v.(使)向心聚爆( implode的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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10 disintegration | |
n.分散,解体 | |
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11 confrontation | |
n.对抗,对峙,冲突 | |
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12 lauding | |
v.称赞,赞美( laud的现在分词 ) | |
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13 averted | |
防止,避免( avert的过去式和过去分词 ); 转移 | |
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14 alacrity | |
n.敏捷,轻快,乐意 | |
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15 remains | |
n.剩余物,残留物;遗体,遗迹 | |
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16 bleak | |
adj.(天气)阴冷的;凄凉的;暗淡的 | |
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17 bleakest | |
阴冷的( bleak的最高级 ); (状况)无望的; 没有希望的; 光秃的 | |
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18 slaughtering | |
v.屠杀,杀戮,屠宰( slaughter的现在分词 ) | |
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19 busted | |
adj. 破产了的,失败了的,被降级的,被逮捕的,被抓到的 动词bust的过去式和过去分词 | |
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20 malignant | |
adj.恶性的,致命的;恶意的,恶毒的 | |
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21 implement | |
n.(pl.)工具,器具;vt.实行,实施,执行 | |
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22 notching | |
adj.多级的(指继电器)n.做凹口,开槽v.在(某物)上刻V形痕( notch的现在分词 );赢得;赢取;获得高分 | |
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23 kudos | |
n.荣誉,名声 | |
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24 maturity | |
n.成熟;完成;(支票、债券等)到期 | |
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25 engendered | |
v.产生(某形势或状况),造成,引起( engender的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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26 nurtured | |
养育( nurture的过去式和过去分词 ); 培育; 滋长; 助长 | |
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