In a sense, the new protectionism is not protectionism at all, at least not in the traditional sense of the term. The old protectionism referred only to trade restricting and trade expanding devices, such as the tariff or export subsidy. The new protectionism is much broader than this; it includes interventions into foreign trade but is not limited to them. The new protectionism, in fact, refers to how the whole of government intervention into the private economy affects international trade. The emphasis on trade is still there, thus came the term "protection". But what is new is the realization that virtually all government activities can affect international economic relations.
The emergence of the new protectionism in the Western world reflects the victory of the interventionist, or welfare economy over the market economy. Jab Tumiler writes, "The old protectionism...coexisted, without any apparent intellectual difficulty with the acceptance of the market as a national as well as an international economic distribution mechanism. Indeed, protectionists as well as (if not more than) free traders stood for laissez faire. Now, as in the 1930s, protectionism is an expression of a profound skepticism as to the ability of the market to distribute resources and incomes to societies satisfaction."
It is precisely this profound skepticism of the market economy that is responsible for the protectionism. In a market economy, economic change of various colors implies redistribution of resources and incomes. The same opinion in many communities apparently is that such redistributions often are not proper. Therefore, the government intervenes to bring about a more desired result.
The victory of the welfare state is almost complete in northern Europe. In Sweden, Norway, Finland, Denmark, and the Netherlands, government intervention in almost all aspects of economic and social life is considered normal. In Great Britain this is only somewhat less true. Government traditionally has played a very active role in economic life in France and continued to do so. Only West Germany dares to go against the tide towards excessive interventionism in Western Europe. It also happens to be the most successful Western European economy.
The welfare state has made significant progress in the United States as well as in Western Europe. Social security, unemployment insurance, minimum wage laws, and rent control are by now traditional welfare state elements on the American scene.
- This passage is primarily concerned with discussing______
- the definition of the new protectionism
- the difference between new and old protectionism
- the emergence of the new protectionism in the Western world
- the significance of the welfare state
- Which of the following statements is NOT a characteristic of a welfare state mentioned in this passage
- Free education is available to a child. B. Laws are made to fix the minimum wage.
- A jobless person can be insured. D. There are regulations for rent.
- Which of the following inferences is tree, according to this passage
- The economy developed faster in welfare states than in non-welfare states.
- In the 1930s, protectionism began to rise.
- The new protectionism is so called mainly because it is the latest.
- Government plays a more active role in economic life in Northern Europe than in Great Britain.
- The passage supplies information for answering which of the following questions
- When did the new protectionism arise
- Why is the new protectionism so popular in northern European countries
- Does the American government play a more active role in economic life than the British government
- Why does the government intervene in economic life
核心词汇注释
protectionism n．保护主义
Tariff n．关税，关税表，税则；(旅馆，饭店等的)价目表、价格表
vt．课以关税
subsidy n．补助金，津贴
emergence n．浮现，露出；(植物)突出体；出现
interventionist n．干涉主义者 adj．干涉主义的
coexist vi．共存
laissez faire n．放任，自由主义
skepticism n．怀疑论
redistribution n．重新分配，再区分
excessive adj．过多的，过分的，额外的
长难句剖析
But what is new is the realization that virtually all government activities can affect international economic relations．
[结构分析]本句是一个典型的主系表结构，what引导的名词性从句作主语，表语是realization，that引导的从句是realization的同位语成分。
[参考译文]但是意识到所有的政府行为都能影响国际经济关系却是最近的事情。
The old protectionism．．。coexisted，without any apparent intellectual difficulty with the acceptance of the market as a national as well as an international economic distribution mechanism．
[结构分析]本句的主干是The old protectionism…coexisted，…with the acceptance。谓 语动词的方式状语是without．．．difficulty，as a national as well as…mechanism作market的补 足语。
[参考译文]古老的经济保护主义……同接受市场作为国内国际经济分配体制的做法看似合理地并存着。
no was in the l930s，protectionism is an expression of a profound skepticism as to the ability of the market to distribute resources and incomes to societies satisfaction．
[结构分析]本句的开头是时间状语，主干是protectionism is an expression。as to…satisfaction短语是句子的条件状语。
[参考译文]现在跟30年代一样，保护主义表达了一种对市场作为资源和收入配置方式的能力能否获得社会认同的深刻怀疑。
全文参考译文
新的保护主义在某种意义上不完全是保护主义，至少不是传统意义上的保护主义。传统的保护主义涉及贸易限制(trade—restricting)或贸易推广(trade-expanding)措施，例如关税和出口补贴。新的保护主义则比这个广泛得多。它包括对外国贸易的干涉但不仅限于此。事实上，新保护主义涉及整个政府是如何干预私有经济从而影响国际贸易的。因为它依然强调贸易，所以仍叫“保护主义”。但是意识到所有的政府行为都能影响国际经济关系却是最近的事情。
西方社会新保护主义的出现反映了干涉主义者的胜利，或者说福利经济胜过了市场经济。Jab Tumiler写到“古老的经济保护主义……同接受市场作为国内国际经济分配体制的做法看似合理地并存着。实际上，保护主义者同自由贸易者一样甚至比他们更加支持放任政策。现在跟20世纪30年代一样，保护主义表达了一种对市场作为资源和收入配置方式的能力能否获得社会认同的深刻怀疑。”
保护主义出现的原因正是这种对市场经济的深刻怀疑。各种经济变化在市场经济中意味着资源和收入再分配。显然，很多社会一致认为这样的再分配通常是不合理的。所以，政府实施干预以期获得更加令人满意的结果。
北欧国家的福利政策几乎取得了完全胜利。在瑞典、挪威、芬兰、丹麦和荷兰，人们认为政府对经济和社会生活各个领域的干预是很正常的事情。英国稍微有点不一样。法国政府一如既往地在经济生活中起着积极作用而且会继续做下去。只有西德敢于逆过渡干预的潮流行事。而它恰恰是西欧经济最成功的国家。
在美国和西欧，福利都取得了显著进步。现在社会保险、失业保险、最低工资法规和租金控制是美国社会中一些传统的福利条件。
题目答案与解析
1．本篇文章主要讨论的是关于________。 [答案]A
A．新保护主义的定义 B．新、旧保护主义的区别
C．西方国家新保护主义的出现 D．福利国家的重要性
[解析]综观全文，只有A项较全面地概括了文章的中心思想，是四个选项中的最佳选项，因此A项为正确答案。
2．以下各项中，哪一项不是本文中提及的福利国家的特点 [答案]A
A．儿童可接受免费教育。 B．制订法律，规定最低工资。
C．失业人员可享受保险。 D．租金控制。
[解析]本题可参照文章的最后一段。从中可知，B、C、D三项在这一段中均已提及，只有A项没有提到。因此A项是正确答案。
3．依据本文，以下各项推论中哪一项是正确的 [答案]D
A．福利国家的经济发展速度比非福利国家快。
B．20世纪30年代，保护主义开始出现。
C．所谓新保护主义是因为它是最近出现的。
D．北欧国家政府在经济生活中扮演的角色比英国政府更活跃。
[解析]本题可参照文章的第4段。从中可知，A项不对，这一段讲述的情况与A项相反。B项与第2段最后一句话有关，这是对的，但文章已有明确表示，不属于推理。C项无法判断，所以也应排除。只有D项可根据第4段推理得出。因此D项是正确答案。
4．本文提供的信息可以回答下列哪个问题 [答案]D
A．新保护主义为什么出现
B．新保护主义为什么在北欧国家如此流行
C在经济生活中，美国政府比英国政府扮演的角色更加活跃吗
D．为什么政府要干预经济生活
[解析]综观全文，只有D项与全文关系较密切，因为在文章的第2段回答了这一问题，而第3段是承上启下，十分重要。因此D项为正确答案。