从美国总统就职演说看美国的变与不变

Change and Constancy as Seen in the Inauguration Speeches of American Presidents

美国43位总统的就职演说,从头读去,二百多年的美国历史发展轨迹就逐步浮现出来。其中既可以看出贯穿始终的、作为美国立国的原则和精神,也可以看出每一个阶段的变化。不变的是宪法至高无上的地位和基本社会制度,在此框架内,内政外交逐步演变。在每个历史转折点,总统个人作用有多大?总的说来,应该是“时势造英雄”。美国的制度决定了个人的权力和作用有限。不过开国元勋们个人取向可以对国家奠基产生较大的影响,华盛顿尤其如此。如果说,美国独立和美利坚合众国的成立是历史的必然,应该说,有华盛顿这样的开国元勋是美国人的幸运。从方今的小布什回头看华盛顿,美国已经走得很远了。

Read carefully the inauguration speeches of the forty-three U.S. presidents and you will see the course of American historical development in the past 200 years and more. The founding principles and spirit that have run through the whole course can be seen clearly and the changes in different periods are also shown. What is consistent is the supreme position of the Constitution and the basic social system. Within this framework, domestic and foreign policies evolve. How big is the role of the president at every historical turning point? The general conclusion is that “the times produce their heroes.” The American system determines that the power and role of any individual is limited. However, the personal inclination of the Founding Fathers exerted great influence on the founding of the Republic. It is especially true with George Washington. If we say the independence of America and the founding of the United States were a historical inevitability, then having Washington as the Founding Father was a blessing for the Americans. Looking back at Washington and comparing G. W. Bush with him, we may find that America has moved very far away from what George Washington stood for.