How to Build Democracy — in an Authoritarian Country | Tessza Udvarhelyi | TED

翻译人员: Aiwen Han 校对人员: Sue Lu

What does living in an authoritarian country

生活在专制国家

and a frog have in common?

与青蛙有什么共同点？

I'm sure you've heard about the metaphor of the boiling frog

我敢肯定你听说过煮青蛙的比喻,

that gets slowly cooked until it dies without even noticing.

它在不知觉的情况下被慢慢煮死。

Well, this is what Hungary has felt like for the past 13 years.

这就是匈牙利在过去 13 年中的感受。

After 40 years of state socialism,

在经历了40 年的国家社会主义之后，

we started out with a lukewarm democracy in the 1990s.

我们在 90 年代建立了 不冷不热的民主。

It was not a democratic paradise,

它不是民主天堂，

but it was a more or less functioning democracy.

但是一个或多或少可以运转的民主。

In 2010, a right-wing government came to power,

2010 年，右翼政府上台，

and they have been elected three more times since then.

之后又当选了三次。

This government has taken the most dangerous aspects of our culture

这个政府把我们文化中最危险的方面

and made them the main pillars of their politics:

当作其政治的主要支柱：

nationalism, racism, homophobia,

民族主义、种族主义、同性恋恐惧症、

a disdain for poor people

对穷人的蔑视

and the general fear and suspicion of "others."

以及对 “他人”的普遍恐惧和怀疑。

Today, Hungary is in the gray zone between a dictatorship and a democracy.

今天，匈牙利处于独裁和 民主之间的灰色地带。

This did not happen overnight.

这不是一夜之间发生的。

The heat was turned up under us slowly, but with a very firm hand.

如青蛙，‘煮’我们的热度被缓慢升高， 而一只强硬的手操纵着这一切。

I can't count how many times I have heard people say,

我无数次听到人们说，

"They will not go that far.

”他们不会走那么远。

This will never happen."

这永远不会发生。”

We said this before they made homelessness a crime in the Constitution.

他们在《宪法》中将无家 可归定为犯罪之前，大家就说过这句话。

We said this before they passed

不仅如此，他们还通过了

one of the most anti-worker labor laws of Europe, nicknamed the "slave law,"

欧洲最不利于工人的 劳动法之一，昵称为“奴隶法”，

which allows an extreme exploitation of workers.

允许对工人进行极端剥削。

We said this before they turned our LGBTQ friends and family into internal enemies,

他们还将我们的LGBTQ 朋友和家人变成内部敌人，

reduced same-sex couples to second-class citizens,

将同性伴侣降为二等公民，

and banned sexual education from schools

并禁止学校进行性教育，

in the name of protecting children from pedophilia.

用的借口是保护儿童免受恋童癖者伤害。

And we also said this before they fired,

我们继续自说自话，无视他们的行为——

censored and intimidated teachers

解雇、审查和恐吓教师，

for telling the truth about their wages and working conditions

不让他们说出自己的薪资和工作条件；

and teargassed high-school students

对高中生使用催泪弹，

for protesting for quality education.

不让他们为优质教育抗争。

But in the end, all of these things and many more have all happened.

最终，所有这些 以及更多的不幸事件都发生了。

Hungary is not the worst country in the world.

匈牙利不是世界上最糟的国家，

It's a member of the European Union.

它是欧盟的成员国，

It's considered a high-income economy.

被认为是高收入经济体。

It has regular elections,

它定期举行选举，

and it still has some independent media.

而且仍有一些独立的媒体。

But it's definitely authoritarian

但是，它肯定是一个专制体

when it comes to how the government relates to the people

就政府与人民的关系，

and how most people relate to the government.

以及大多数人与政府的关系而言。

A lot of people give up and leave our country

许多人放弃并离开我们的国家，

not only for economic, but also for political reasons.

不仅是出于经济原因，也出于政治原因。

I also often get the question, "Why are you still here?"

我还经常被问到“你为什么还在这里？”

But my answer is very easy.

我的答案很简单,

This is my home.

这是我的家,

This is where I belong.

我的归属。

This is where I was fighting for social justice and democracy

这是我为社会正义和民主而战的地方,

before this regime came to power,

在这个政权上台前我就在这里了。

and this is where I will continue to work

我将继续在这里为同样的目标而战，

for the very same things after they are long gone.

即便该政权早已成过去式。

If you ask government propaganda about me,

如果你问该政府对我的丑化宣传，

I'm a public enemy and the foreign agent who is trying to destroy Hungary.

他们将我刻画成一个公敌， 一个试图摧毁匈牙利的外国特工。

This is why they have been harassing,

这就是为什么他们一直在骚扰、

smearing and targeting me over the past 10 years.

抹黑和打击我， 过去十年一直如此。

If you ask me about the government,

如果你问我这个政府如何，

they are a bump in the road.

他们就是个道路上的障碍，

A Himalaya-size bump,

如喜马拉雅山般巨大，

but one that we will definitely overcome.

但我们一定会克服的。

And I want to stop for a moment here.

我想在这里说明一下。

I'm not talking about my country to make you feel sorry for us.

我谈论我的国家不是让你为我们难过。

Instead, I would like you to think about the place where you live.

相反，我想让你思考一下你住的地方。

Do you have a say in how things are happening there?

你对那里发生的事情有发言权吗？

Do you feel you have power?

你觉得自己有权力吗？

And I'm not asking you if you can vote or if you have a constitution,

我不是问你能否投票或是否有宪法，

because we have both and we still don't have democracy.

因为我们两者兼而有之，却仍无民主。

What I'm asking you is whether it's ever possible

我要问的是，你们是否有可能

to achieve change from below.

从下至上实现变革。

Democracy is not a noun, but a verb.

民主不是名词，而是动词。

It only exists if we do it.

只有我们实践民主，民主才会存在。

This is the slogan of the School of Public Life,

这是公共生活学院的口号，

an activist school that I co-founded.

学院是我与人创立的激进主义者学校。

In this school, we believe that democracy is not about consent, but about dissent.

在这里，我们相信民主 不在于同意而在于异议。

It's not about being a big, happy family

不在于要成为一个幸福大家庭，

where everyone loves and agrees with each other.

每个人都彼此相爱和认同。

If there is conflict, struggle and change,

如果这里有冲突、挣扎和变革，

there is a space for democracy to exist.

那就证明这里有民主存在的空间。

It's always in the making, and we are the ones making it.

它一直在形成中，而我们就是其促成者。

When I go abroad and tell people that I'm from Hungary,

当我在国外告诉别人我来自匈牙利时，

I get some sad looks.

我会看到一些遗憾的表情，

And the question,

并面对一个问题：

"Oh what's the name of your dictator again?"

“哦，你们的独裁者叫什么名字？”

(Laughter)

（笑声）

And yes, our Prime Minister has become a symbol of anti-democratic leadership.

我们的总理已经成为反民主领导的象征。

But there is also another Hungary.

但是还有另一个匈牙利。

This Hungary is hardly visible to the outside world.

外界几乎看不到这个匈牙利。

And you may never read about us in The New York Times,

《纽约时报》上读不到关于我们的文章，

but it's there

但它确实存在，

and it's made up of many, many people and organizations

由许多人群和组织构成，

working for social justice, environmental justice,

致力于改善社会正义、环境平等、

workers' rights and quality public services,

工人权利和优质公共服务，

among many other things.

以及其它很多领域。

In fact, many Hungarians are not aware of this other side of Hungary.

许多匈牙利人并不知道匈牙利的这一面。

And this, I believe, is a real obstacle to change.

我相信，这是变革的真正障碍。

What you see around us as your reality determines what you believe is possible.

你看到的眼前现实 决定你相信什么是可能的。

If you only see fear and passivity,

如果你只看到恐惧和被动，

you will not be able to imagine anything beyond that.

你将无法想象除此之外的任何事情。

But if you experience alternatives to social and political oppression,

但是，如果你经历了 社会和政治压迫之外的其他情形,

you will be able to not only imagine,

你不仅可以想象，

but create a different future for all of us.

还可以为所有人创造一个不同的未来。

Let me give you an example of this other Hungary

让我举个另一个匈牙利的例子，

that's especially close to my heart.

是我非常关注的一个问题。

"The City Is for All" is a pioneer of the Hungarian housing movement,

“人人共享城市” 是匈牙利住房运动先驱，

where homeless people and their housed allies

无家可归者及其安置盟友

work together for housing justice.

共同努力争取住房公正。

What makes this group really special

这个小组之所以与众不同，

is that it takes the message

是因为它非常认真地传递以下信息：

"don't talk about us, talk with us" extremely seriously.

“别只说不做，和我们一起行动吧”。

In this group, many homeless people gained back their self-confidence,

这个团体让许多无家可归者恢复了自信、

sense of belonging and political identity,

归属感和政治认同感，

all of which are essential for all of us to exercise our rights as citizens.

而这些对我们行使公民权至关重要。

In this group, people like my friends Gyula, Jutka,

这个团体让我的朋友久拉、尤特卡、

Jani and Erika have all become movement leaders,

贾尼和埃里卡这样的人成长为运动领袖，

even as they were living in self-made shacks, homeless shelters,

哪怕他们当时是住在自制棚屋、 无家可归者收容所、

rented rooms or even on the street.

租赁房、甚至大街上。

And most importantly to me,

对我来说最重要的是，

this is also the community where my own political journey started.

这也是我政治生涯开始的地方。

In 2011, activists of The City Is for All occupied the mayor's office

2011 年，“人人共享城市” 的 活动积极分子占领了布达佩斯

of the 8th district of Budapest.

第八区的市长办公室。

With this city,

我们通过这次占领，

we tried to stop the violent criminalization of homelessness

试图阻止政府首席反无家可归者战略家

by the chief anti-homeless strategist of the government,

将无家可归者粗暴定罪，

who also happened to be the mayor of the district at the time.

他当时也恰好是该区的市长。

I was one of the organizers of this protest, and in the end,

我是这次抗议活动的组织者之一，最后，

we were all dragged out of the building by the police.

我们都被警察拖出了大楼。

With a very unexpected turn of events,

世事变幻莫测，

today, I work in the very same building

今天，我就在这同一栋大楼里工作，

that we had occupied more than ten years ago.

这栋十多年前我们占领过的大楼。

I walk the same corridors,

我走在同样的走廊里，

and I have meetings in the mayor's office.

也会在那个市长办公室开会。

But how is this possible, how did this happen?

这是怎么回事呢？

In 2019, a progressive candidate

2019 年，一位激进的候选人，

from a local grassroots organization challenged the anti-poor mayor

从当地基层组织脱颖而出，在地方选举中

in the local elections.

挑战了敌视穷人的市长。

And to everybody's biggest surprise, including our own,

令所有人包括我们自己无比惊讶的是，

he won.

他赢了。

I was on the mayor's team,

我曾是市长团队的一员，

and today I work with him as the head of the Office of Community Participation.

现在担任社区参与办公室的负责人。

(Applause)

（掌声）

The mission of this office is to create a new relationship

该办公室的使命是在市政当局和居民之间

between the municipality and local residents.

建立一种新的关系。

A relationship based on mutual trust,

一种基于相互信任、

power sharing and respect.

权力共享和尊重的关系。

This is the complete opposite of what the central government is doing.

这与中央政府的所作所为完全相反。

Let me give you an example of this new relationship.

让我举一个新关系的例子。

In our district, there is a small community garden.

在我们区，有一个小型社区花园。

A year ago, it was surrounded by a fence

一年前，它被围栏围着，

and there were plans to build a luxury condo there.

有计划准备在那建造一套豪华公寓。

Everybody thought that it was private property

大家都以为它是私人物业，

because of the fence.

由于有那圈围栏。

But then came a group of active citizens

但是随后出现了一群活跃的市民，

who discovered that the fence had been built illegally.

他们发现围栏是非法建造的，

They started to lobby the municipality to pull the fence down

于是开始游说市政当局拆除围栏，

and give the land back to the public.

将土地归还给公众。

They were adamant and, from a bureaucratic point of view,

他们很坚决，从官僚主义角度来看，

really annoying.

真的很烦人。

But in the end, they reached their goal.

但最终，他们达到了目的。

The fence was pulled down,

围栏被拆除，

they created a garden

他们建造了一个花园，

which is now sustained by local neighborhood residents.

现在由当地社区居民维护着。

This is a very small everyday example, and this is exactly my point.

这个极平常的例子，正好说明我的观点。

Democracy emerges out of the everyday struggle that we call politics.

民主源于我们称之为政治的日常斗争。

It's created both from above and from below.

它既是自上而下，也是自下而上。

Those in power have to be open, responsive and responsible.

掌权者必须开放、积极响应和承担责任。

People, on the other hand, have to be smart, organized

另一方面，大众必须保持敏锐、有条理，

and focused on getting what they need.

专注于获取其所需。

This is exactly what the story of the garden is all about.

这正是花园故事要传递的信息。

Let me give you another example.

让我再举一个例子。

In Hungary, the central government

在匈牙利，中央政府

is all about concentrating power and resources for its own interests.

一味为了自己的利益集中权力和资源。

People have absolutely no say in how they spend public money.

大众对公共资金使用完全没有发言权。

But things are radically different in both Budapest

但是，情况在布达佩斯

and our own small 8th district,

和我们的第八选区截然不同，

which are both led by the Democratic opposition.

这两个地方都由民主党反对派领导。

A few years ago, participatory budgeting was introduced

几年前，这两个地方都引入了

in both the city and the district.

参与式预算编制。

Participatory budgeting means

参与式预算编制意味着

that local residents get to directly decide

当地居民可以直接决定

how to spend a certain amount of the municipal budget.

如何使用一定数额的市政预算。

In reality, this means that politicians give up some of their power

实际上，这意味着政客放弃了部分权力，

because they believe that local residents know best

因为他们相信当地居民最了解

what they need.

他们自己的需求。

And they really do.

确实如此。

Local people often vote on things

当地人经常投票决定那些

that elected representatives are otherwise reluctant to do.

民选代表不愿决定的事情。

People in Budapest have used this power to build new bus stops, crosswalks,

布达佩斯居民利用这种权利 建造了新的公交车站、人行横道、

public toilets and even launch new social and cultural programs.

公共厕所，甚至启动新的社会文化节目。

I know, you may be thinking now.

我知道，你现在可能在想，

"I have never had the say in how my city spends my tax money.

“我从未决定过我的城市如何使用税款。

So why are you complaining about Hungary?"

那你为什么还要抱怨匈牙利呢？”

But remember, I'm showing you a small island of freedom

别忘了，这里展示的只是一个自由小岛，

in the middle of a country with less and less political oxygen to breathe.

它位于一个大国之中， 那里可供呼吸的政治氧气越来越少。

By opening up the municipal budget in Budapest,

通过开放布达佩斯的市政预算，

we are modeling, learning and teaching a new kind of politics

我们正建模、学习和传授一种新的政治，

that builds an alternative to authoritarianism.

作为威权主义的替代方案。

Let me go back to the boiling frog.

让我回到煮沸的青蛙来。

Have you ever felt like this frog?

你曾经有过类似这只青蛙的感受吗？

And why is the frog not doing anything?

知道为什么青蛙没做任何自救吗？

And where are the other frogs, and why are they not doing anything?

其它青蛙在哪里？为何它们什么也没做？

(Laughter)

（笑声）

You can't just be sitting around

你们不能只是袖手旁观，

and wait for democracy to work miraculously on its own.

等着民主自己奇迹般地发挥作用。

It will not.

不可能的。

And you can never wait for somebody else to make democracy work for you.

永远不要等别人带给你民主，

They will not.

没可能的。

Only you can make democracy work

只有你们自己能让民主运作起来，

by standing up,

通过站起来、

organizing and pushing the boundaries of what's possible politically.

组织和突破政治可能性的界限。

Just like we Hungarians have to fight for our own freedom

就像我们匈牙利人必须为自己的自由而战，

and rebuild our own democracy,

重建我们的民主一样。

you all have to do the same,

你们都得这么做，

no matter where in the world you are sitting,

无论你呆在世界哪个地方，

in lukewarm or even boiling water.

无论是在微温，或甚至沸腾的水里。

Enjoy your democracy when you have it,

当你拥有民主时尽情享受，

but don't ever get too comfortable with it.

但永远不要懈怠。

Remember the frog

请记住那只青蛙，

and never take the temperature of the water for granted.

永远别把水温视为理所当然。

Thank you.

谢谢。

(Applause)

（掌声）

Chloe Shasha Brooks: Tessza,

克洛伊·莎莎·布鲁克斯：泰莎，

thank you for that beautiful, powerful talk.

谢谢你的精彩有力的演讲。

I have one follow-up question for you.

我有一个后续问题想问你。

There is a sentiment in your talk that I really love

你的演讲中有一种我非常喜欢的情绪，

that's shared by others here today.

今天在座的其他人也有同样的感受。

This idea, actually, I'll quote you.

这个主意，实际上，让我引用你的原话。

You said, "If you asked me about the government,

你说：“如果你问我这个政府如何，

they are a bump in the road, a Himalaya-size bump,

它就是个路障，如喜马拉雅山般巨大，

but one we will definitely overcome."

但我们一定会克服的。”

I'm wondering how you keep that sentiment alive and how that affects your activism.

你是如何保持这种情绪的， 它又是如何影响你的激进行动。

TU: So I think one of the most dangerous forms of oppression

TU：我认为最危险的压迫形式之一

is when they oppress your imagination,

是当他们压制你的想象力时，

when you are not able to imagine anything beyond what's actually happening to you.

当你除了现实事件，无法想象任何其它。

And one of my missions, I think, in life, is

我认为，此生我的使命之一是，

well, I have a really strong personal and political imagination.

嗯，我有非常强的个人和政治想象力。

So one of the missions in my life is to try to teach other people

因此，我此生的使命之一是尝试教给他人

to acquire this ability to imagine,

获得这种想象的能力，

to imagine that things can be different.

想象事物能够有所不同。

And for example, we do this by trying to show Hungarians

例如，我们向匈牙利人民展示

that they have a really rich history of social movements.

他们有着非常丰富的社会运动史，

That change was actually brought about in Hungary through social movements.

匈牙利的变革就是通过社会运动实现的。

And we are also helping people through our political work and education work.

我们还通过政治和教育工作帮助人们。

We are trying to show them a different version of what's possible,

我们努力向他们展示多种可能性，

and helping them to inhabit the space that exists between what is now

帮助他们让思维栖息于现在

and what could be,

和未来之间的空间，

and trying to teach them the way to get there.

并尽力教会他们实现目标的方法。

CSB: That's really amazing, thank you so much for your talk.

CSB：太神奇了，非常感谢你的演讲。

TU: Thank you.

TU：谢谢。

(Applause)

（掌声）