以文明的名义:19世纪英国动物保护运动的缘起

In the Name of Civilization: The Origin of British Animal Protection Movement in the 19th Century

19世纪英国动物保护运动的兴起是多方面因素综合作用的结果,但与英国人的天性无关。在动物保护运动兴起前,动物在英国的处境非常悲惨,英国甚至被称为动物的“地狱”。18世纪下半叶以来,随着“文明”概念在英国的传播以及英国“文明国家”身份的建构,英国社会中上层认为动物在英国的悲惨境遇与其文明国家的身份不符,是文明的耻辱,并有损英国人的道德优越感。由此,英国社会残忍对待动物与其自视文明国度间的落差,就成为19世纪英国开启动物保护立法和推进保护运动的“新动力”。

The rise of the animal protection movement in Britain in the 19century was the result of a comprehensive action of many factors, but it had nothing to do with the nature of the British people.Before the rise of the animal protection movement, the situation of animals in Britain was so miserable that Britain was even called the “hell” of animals. Since the second half of the 18century, with the spread of the concept of “civilization” in Britain and the construction of the Britain’s “civilized country” identity, the upper and middle classes of British society believed that the tragic situation of animals in Britain was inconsistent with their status as a civilized country, which was a disgrace to civilization and undermined the British people’s sense of moral superiority. Therefore, the gap between the cruel treatment of animals in the British society and its self-regarded as a civilized country became the “new impetus” for Britain to start animal protection legislation and promote the protection movement in the 19century.